Bioware’s community manager Eric Musco, was once more at the forums today posting information about upcoming community team streams. With patch 3.0 just around the corner, Eric highlighted some of the topics his team will be covering. In specific: As many of you know, we will be streaming around each individual Advanced Class and the changes coming to their Disciplines in 3.0. We will be starting those streams this week and do one set of base Class mirrors each week for the three weeks thereafter. Here is our currently planned schedule. As always this could change, but here is our plan as of right now! Friday, November 7th – Bounty Hunter and Trooper Thursday, November 13th – Inquisitor and Consular Friday, November 21st – Warrior and Knight Wednesday, November 26th – Agent and Smuggler Thanks everyone! We’ll see you on stream to talk about all of the changes coming to…
The Best Star Wars Video Game Ever: Nostalgia Time
Now here is a topic we’ve talked about here before. What are the best Star Wars video games of all time? This is a question that always brings back strong feelings of nostalgia as we think on some of the games that have come and gone. It’s also a question that comes up from time to time in the form of a poll. This certainly isn’t the first time we’ve seen this and I doubt it will be the last but here is a list on Ranker that talks about the best Star Wars video game ever. Currently in first place is Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (no surprise there). You can vote on the 34 items in the list and give points to your pick for favorite Star Wars game ever. Some other titles on the list: Star Wars Arcade Star Wars: X-Wing Star Wars: The Force…
Read or listen to a excerpt from “Star Wars: Tarkin” by James Luceno
StarWars.com is offering a unique opportunity for all fans of Star Wars science fiction books. The website is previewing the second book released since Disney took over Lucas’ franchise, titled “Tarkin” in an audiobook form. The latest publication is set to be released today (November 4,2014) so if you’re on the fence about it you can either listen or read a 50 page excerpt that was also made available. The book’s back cover reads: He’s the scion of an honorable and revered family. A dedicated soldier and distinguished legislator. Loyal proponent of the Republic and trusted ally of the Jedi Order. Groomed by the ruthless politician and Sith Lord who would be Emperor, Governor Wilhuff Tarkin rises through the Imperial ranks, enforcing his authority ever more mercilessly . . . and zealously pursuing his destiny as the architect of absolute dominion. Rule through the fear of force rather than force itself, he advises…
SWTOR 2.10.2a Patch Notes
BioWare will be pushing a new patch with tomorrow maintenance. Below are the patch notes: 2.10.2a Patch Notes Live Date: November 4th, 2014 General The Republic and Imperial Medical Droid Decorations now function properly. “Slot Machine: Smuggler’s Gambit” now Binds on Pickup. Cartel Market The Architect’s Pack has been added to the Cartel Market.
Star Wars Retro games: Star Wars Episode I: Jedi Power Battles
I remember purchasing this game when it first came out and I fell in love with it. I would play for hours on end and never get tired of it. In this game, you choose from one of five Episode I-era Jedi to run, jump, slash, and use the Force with through the game’s ten levels. Each Jedi has his or her own Force powers and special items. For instance, Obi-Wan Kenobi has a forward dash-and-slash move and uses thermal detonators, while his teacher Qui-Gon Jinn produces a Force shock wave and tosses around pulse grenades. No matter which character you control though, you play through the film’s plot as if you were Obi-Wan or Qui-Gon, from the scene where the trade council tries to poison them to the final battle with the notorious evil Sith Darth Maul. The gameplay is a refined version of that found in Star Wars: Episode…
Datamined: SWToR Miner livestreams Patch 3.0 Commando and Mercenary changes
You might never heard of his name before but if you’re moderately interested in SWToR, you definitely read about his work in fansites across the web. Recently, SWToR_Miner had some challenges from Bioware and the content he releases about upcoming changes and updates to our favorite game but this isn’t stopping him however from hosting livestream events on Youtube. This time around, he talks about Patch 3.0 commando and mercenary changes that we’re going to see when Shadow of Revan gets released. The livestream is a little bit over 2 hours but definitely gets into the details of Patch 3.0 and specific details of the before-mentioned classes.
Star Wars: Galactic Defence is now available for iOS, Android and Amazon
The acquisition of the Star Wars franchise by Disney recently, also brought us a number of different gaming announcements for PC, consoles and more lately mobile devices. The latest one is Star Wars: Galactic Defense by DeNA, a free-to-play tower defense game based on the Star Wars Universe. The game is now available for download for most mobile platforms and covers both original and prequel trilogies. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5-SJP85djA While tower defense games are not something new, I have to admit that most Star Wars games tend to get special attention because of that element. The inclusion of special characters from both trilogies definitely adds to the game and incorporates a special twist to a game genre that we have seen in many different forms. You can get Star Wars Galactic defense from Apple Store, Google Play or Amazon Store.
Star Wars Episode VII villain image leaked
With Star Wars Episode VII wrapping up filming earlier this week, rumors started flying again in many websites across the internet. While it would be great if every single one of them were true, one needs to take them with a grain of salt. Is this the new villain of Star Wars Episode VII? Image source: starwarsunderworld.com The latest one comes from Star Wars Underworld and deals with the main villain of Episode VII. The owners of the website claim that they managed to get a hold of a picture of the main villain from the upcoming Star Wars movie that’s set to be released on December 18 next year. Whether this is a real or not remains to be seen, but one does have to admit that it looks somewhat familiar (especially to SWToR fans – which would be a pretty cool movie tie-in). The website claims that the authenticity of the image…
TOR TV: Patch 3.0 GUIDE – Combat Systems Changes & UI Improvements (Short Visual Overview)
One of the better known SWToR video bloggers, Vulkk, has posted a segment from Bioware’s official livestream about the upcoming changes of Patch 3.0 (or Shadow Revan expansion). Unlike the last guide he posted on the disciplines system, this time the clip is focused on the combat system changes and user interface improvements. The video is about 13 minutes and offers a pretty good overview of what Bioware has in store for us.
PvP Season 3 rewards announced!
Biowares’s assistant designer Alex Modny took it to the official forums today to announce the rewards for PVP season 3. Judging by the reaction, most SWToR fans were rather pleased by the announcement and the improvement over Season 2. In specific: The culmination of Season 3 is fast approaching and many furious rumbles have yet to be waged. The end of Season 3 will come with Game Update 3.0 and your rating, when the servers come down for the update, will determine which tier you are in and what rewards you receive. The higher your tier the more glorious your rewards! Just like in previous seasons, the Highest Earned rating that determines the tier you are in – not Current – so no need to feel like you are risking Rating by going after the next tier up! To see your Highest Earned Rating, check the Warzone Rating and Stats…
TOR TV: Patch 3.0 guide – Disciplines System Explained
One of the better known SWToR video-bloggers, Vulkk, has put together a very interesting video explaining what fans should expect to see with patch 3.0 and the Disciplines system in specific. The video is a little bit over 13 minutes and provides a great overview of the system and highlights the changes between what currently is in place and what will be available after Shadow of Revan (aka Patch 3.0) becomes available. While Vulkk is using a Sorcerer’s tree to explain the changes, the guide is certainly useful to understand the Disciplines system across all classes.
Star Wars Battlefront Releases Holiday 2015
The big news is here! Star Wars Battlefront will release for Holiday 2015. Electronic Arts has announced the launch window finally. While we don’t have an exact date just yet, we know that it’s coming in the holiday season of 2015. May the Force be with you: Star Wars Battlefront will release for Holiday 2015. — Electronic Arts (@EA) October 28, 2014 This means it will release at the same time as J.J. Abrams’Star Wars: Episode VII, which hits theaters on December 18, 2015. in fact, it’s very likely that this was planned deliberately to coincide with the movie release. This fun fact was mentioned in a conference call between EA boss Andrew Wilson and investors and then later confirmed with the tweet above. While the time frame is still vague, it at least gives some direction on how the game is developing and when we can expect to see more about it….
TOR TV: SWTOR 3.0 – YAVIN 4 & RISHI
Here is a video by Vulkk. This video has two simple goals – to show the great new screens and design-art of the new worlds as well as tell us a little more of their History & Lore, to prepare us for the exploration and adventures awaiting us in Shadow of Revan 3.0. In the end of the video Vulkk have the notes from the Q&A section during the NY Cantina Event. The Devs gave more information and hints on what is to come with the next Expansion to SWTOR. Learn more about the History & Lore of AVIN 4 & RISHI, the 2 new Worlds in SWTOR 3.0 Shadow of Revan . Check the NY Cantina Q&A for more new info on the expansion in the end of the video: ► VIDEO DESCRIPTION This video will tell us a little of the History and Lore of the 2 new planets…
Developer Blog: Bedtime in Concordia
Bioware released yet another Developer blog today titled “Bedtime in Concordia”. This time around the blog focuses on Shae Vizla‘s story – a Mandalorian who was credited for working with the Sith Empire and helping in storming the Jedi Temple in Coruscant. Shae Vizla Bedtime on Concordia A blazing campfire cast three shadows across the open plain. The longest stretched from the angular form of a man still clad in the armor of his people, the fire’s light stumbling and bouncing across decades of pockmarks and scrapes in the Mandalorian iron’s surfaces. The other shadows’ figures were clad in training gear, their bodies still growing too quickly for proper armor to fit for long. Galron watched his twin daughters over the flames. Tayn and Mari had done well in the day’s hunt, handled their weapons and gear properly, and shown great patience. He would tell their mother that they were growing…
Limited time Cartel Market items are now available
Community manager Eric Musco was once more at the official SWToR forums providing updates about upcoming content releases. In this case, Mr.Musco provided a quick update on some cartel market items that are going to be available for a limited time only. In specific: I wanted to let you know about some new items coming to Cartel Market later today. These are each of the items and their Cartel Coin price. Note that these items are only available for a limited time and will come off of the Market on 11/4. Walkhar Trickster – 1800 CC Ghostly Magus Armor Set – 1000 CC Ethereal Rakling (Minipet) – 140 CC Phantasmal Rakling (Minipet) – 140 CC Statue of the Agonized (Decoration) – 150 CC Thranta Trophy (Decoration) – 130 CC Infected Tree (Decoration) – 120 CC Returning Item! TRK-R Treatment Chamber – 1200 CC While no date was provided as to…
Blast from the past! X-Wing, Tie-Fighter to be re-released for modern PCs
For those of us who are of a certain age, there was a period where using your computer required using MS Dos, floppy disks and in some cases dial-up modems. Gaming in that period introduced us to some legendary Star Wars titles from Lucasarts such as X-Wing and Tie-Fighter – two amazing space combat simulators that are still being talked about today. While many DOS emulators exist, one of their main drawbacks is that they’re not very intuitive and difficult to use. At the same time though since most of these games run on either 5¼-inch or 3½-inch floppy disks (remember those?), few people have held on to their games from 20 years ago. A screenshot from X-Wing in a all its Super VGA glory! Good Old Games (GOG) decided to address these issues by re-releasing both X-Wing and Tie Fighter as downloadable content for $10 each. The former also includes the Imperial Pursuit and…
TOR TV: Starfleet Dental – Pop Muzik
I admit that this video isn’t recent but it’s definitely one of the better made SWToR fan videos that deserves some extra attention. It’s titled Pop Muzik and it was originally released back at launch when the game (and the hype) were flying high. “Pop Muzik” is probably the fastest and most musical way to experience all SWToR locations in a short period of time.
NYCC 2014: Star Wars Rebels discussion panel and exclusives
The New York city Comic Con ended earlier this month and videos from the event are starting to surface on the web. Of particular Star Wars interest is the one for Disney’s latest TV series called Star Wars Rebels. In the four-part video posted below, we take a closer look at the connections between the original Star Wars movies and the series as well as the back story of Rebels. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jo2u1gJJhos&index=2&list=PLZRd3qFud5ts40VL4OarQ2sLQgVKaxDWj During NYCC, Disney also revealed an exclusive clip titled “Phantom Chase” that you can watch below. SWToRStrategies is certainly watching “Rebels” with a lot of interest. The show has the right balance to appeal to both new and long-time Star Wars fans. It is Star Wars done right. One can certainly see the connections between the original movies throughout all the episodes of the series. Voice is acting is extremely nicely done. The dynamic between Hera and Kanan remind us a lot of Princess Leia…
SWToR revenue surpasses $100 million for 2014
Superdata research released yet another report looking at the most popular Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) games. In the past, the same firm had published information relating to the top 10 PC games by free-to-play earnings for 2013 which set SWToR at no.8 with $139 million right behind World Of Warcraft with $213 million. This report, in addition to others, signaled a come-back for Bioware’s first attempt at MMOs and was source of excitement for fans of the game. SuperData’s research data for 2013 The latest report released covers January to September 2014 and looks at the top 10 MMOs by revenue for the year. While SWToR didn’t make the top 10, it still remains at a respectable no.12 with $106 million in revenue, right behind Elder Scrolls Online with $111 Million. Keeping in mind that Shadow of Revan is yet to be released, one would expect to see a significant increase over the last 3 months of the…
Community Stream updates fans on in-game commendations changes
Bioware shared some additional details on upcoming commendation changes during the regularly scheduled Community stream. The SWToR ommunity team made up by Eric Musco, Courtney Woods and Hillary Nicole shared information about what’s going to happen to in-game commendations after Shadow of Revan goes live. In detail: Ultimate and elite commendations are staying the same: While Musco admitted this is subject to change, he reassured that fans won’t lose any commendations either ways. Earning commendations: Some slight changes will occur impacting how fast you can earn the before-mentioned commendations. More details will be released next week. Three types of commendations become one: Every other type of commendation (excluding warzone) – classic, basic and planetary will be collapsed into a single type of commendation called basic. As mentioned above, Musco was quick to point out that these changes are not confirmed and could change as a result of testing before Shadow of Revan goes live….
Bioware teases with details about “Shadow of Revan”, new playable race, solo Flash points and more!
Massively, Hyperspace beacon, MMORPG and Ten Ton Hammer were treated to a unique opportunity by Bioware recently. During a livestream, lead writer Charles Boyd, producer Bruce MacLean and Game director James Ohlen shared more information about what’s coming to the latest SWToR expansion. Some of the highlights included: There will be a Patch 4.0 – there are more stories to be told (and probably more expansions in 2015) SWToR development is speeding up – expect to see more exciting announcements after the release of Shadow of Revan Patch 3.0 might expand to other locations other than Yavin IV and Rishi Togruta will be the next playable race and will be a Cartel Market item Solo flashpoints confirmed – A droid companion will be available to carry players through tough fights Class missions return – you can now play your unique class mission story
Star Wars: Episode VII Concept Images Leaked Online
In our regular quest for more information about Star Wars: Episode VII, we have an update about more leaked images. In this case, we’re talking about dozens of Star Wars: Episode VII concept images being leaked online. This post from Entertainment Weekly Inside Movies tells us about an anonymous Imageshack account by the name of “themillenniumfalcon” that posted 32 drawings from the upcoming J.J. Abrams movie that revealed some major details from the film, due in theaters Dec. 18,2015. If they are, in fact true, these photos tell us some interesting things about the film. WARNING: Potential Spoilers Ahead Remember this is just a rumor. We don’t actually know if the leaked photos were real and even if they were, they are just concept images. There’s no guarantee this is what will actually end up in the final movie product anyway. With that in mind, here is a snippet of what Inside Movies…
Episode 7 Ready for Post Production?
According to Lucasfilm’s Kathleen Kennedy, filming on Episode 7, the much-awaited Star Wars movie sequel, is about three weeks from being completed. Most of the footage is apparently done, and after the actual camerawork is finished, the movie will enter post-production, where the special effects, the sounds and the score shall be added, which will apparently take about another year to complete. Given that the above said announcement was made about a week ago at the Industrial Light and Magic Studio opening in London, it is safe to assume that the movie is indeed on track: great news for fans of the series as well as for the fans of the upcoming Battlefront title currently under production by DICE. While the actual plot tie-ins between the Episode 7 and Battlefront will be few and far between, the release of the two titles will apparently be timed to more or less…
TOR Radio: A galaxy of podcasts!
After a brief hiatus for 2 weeks, we’re back with the latest and greatest SWToR podcasts out there. Obviously Shadow of Revan is the most talked about topic this week as well as Eric Musco’s recent interview with Snave and upcoming PVP changes. 1. OotiniCast – Episode 170 (Released: October 16,2014) Hosts discuss Patch 2.10.1c, the various answers flowing from the New York Community Cantina, and include many tips for making the most of 12x XP. Community News Holofeed News 2. Old republic Radio – Episode 83 (Released: October 21, 2014) The cast finally catches up with all the 3.0 updates Review of Cantina event in New York In SWTOR 101, the cast go over thoughts for all those returning to the game after a long hiatus 3. TOROCast – Episode 217 (Released: October 20,2014) Snave joins SWTOR Miner and Road to talk about Community Management Leveling with x12 EXP…