This Friday’s update is just a Threat of Peace issue. Here’s the official news: The twenty-fifth issue of Threat of Peace™ begins in the heat of the fight between the Jedi and the Sith in Dantooine’s crystal caves. Lord Baras confronts Satele Shan with the fact that her Master was responsible for the attacks that threatened the peace process. When Satele hesitates, Lord Baras tries to urge her towards the dark side, even as Master Dar’Nala screams at Satele to strike the Sith Lord down… Check out the latest issue of Threat of Peace now. And it’ll likely remain fairly sparse for the next few weeks as Sean noted on the official forums: While we have announced our target launch window, we also realize there is a lot of information to release between now and then. We met with the development team soon after returning from the holiday break and…
Planets of Star Wars: The Old Republic – Coruscant
The Galactic Center of Coruscant (pronounced /’kʊɹəsɑnt/), originally called Notron, also known as Imperial Center or the Queen of the Core, was the political hub of the galaxy for millennia. It was generally agreed that Coruscant was, during most of Galactic history, the most politically important world in the galaxy. At various times, it was the capital of the Galactic Republic, the Galactic Empire, the New Republic, briefly the Empire Reborn, the New Republic again, the Yuuzhan Vong Empire occupation, the Galactic Alliance, the Fel Empire and Darth Krayt’s Galactic Empire. These governments, that all controlled Coruscant, controlled the galaxy in the process. A large number of the galaxy’s trade routes—including the Perlemian Trade Route, the Corellian Run, the Metellos Trade Route, the Koros Trunk Line, and the Leisure Corridor—went through Coruscant, making it one of the richest worlds in the galaxy. Tellingly, the planet’s hyperspace coordinates were (0,0,0), and…
Timeline 6: Onslaught of the Sith Empire
Today BioWare gives us a new Timeline update, in which Master Gnost-Dural talks about the surprise attack of the Empire on the Republic. Here’s the official news: A new holorecord in the Jedi Archive tells the story of the Sith Empire’s surprise attack at the start of the Great War over 28 years before the Sacking of Coruscant. Master Gnost-Dural notes the brilliance of the Imperial military’s carefully orchestrated assault which put the Republic at a disadvantage for the duration of the conflict. BTC 28 – Centuries after being driven into exile, the Sith Empire returned from deep space to launch the most calculated military assault in Republic history. Strategically revealing its attack in a menacing manner, the Sith struck fear into the hearts of the Republic’s defenders even while orchestrating surprise attacks at carefully targeted locations across the galaxy. When the Republic fleet rushed to respond, they discovered the…
SWTOR Trailer Nominated for VES Award
The Visual Effects Society (VES) announced the nominees for the 8th Annual VES Awards ceremony, with awards in various categories for film, animation, television, commercials and video games. Among the various categories Star Wars: The Old Republic has been nominated for “Outstanding Visual Effects in a Video Game Trailer. I’m assuming that this refers to the “Deceived” cinematic trailer they unveiled at last year’s E3 (mainly because it’s the only official trailer): Star Wars: The Old Republic isn’t the only BioWare Trailer nominated; one of the other nominees is Mass Effect 2 (with I assume their cinematic trailer revealed last Christmas). Both trailers were created by Blur. Though that makes me wonder why the Dragon Age: Origins trailer wasn’t nominated. Other nominees are DJ Hero (with I’m guessing this trailer) and Halo 3: ODST (I’m guessing for this trailer). I think that they make a decent chance of winning. Congratulations…
IGN Presents the History of BioWare
With Mass Effect 2 right around the corner, IGN posted an article, titled “IGN Presents the History of BioWare”, looking at the history of developer BioWare. Starting with their humble beginnings as two students of medicine programmign educational software at the University of Alberta, right down to the present day of them working on Star Wars: The Old Republic it looks at the string of successful titles they’ve released, the publishers they’ve worked with and such. Here’s an excerpt: Shattered Steel was a modest success, receiving positive reviews and seeing decent sales. Of particular note was the detailed deformable terrain that allowed players to blast craters in the sides of hills, and zone damage that allowed strategic-minded sharpshooters to take out weapons mounted on enemies. Interplay was pleased with the game, too, and a sequel was planned for 1998. It would never come to pass, as BioWare’s second game was…
Rumor: Elder Scrolls MMO
EDIT: Game is now out! Here is a Elder scrolls online digital download price comparison, if yo are looking to buysIn the “not SWTOR” news column a somewhat interesting rumor just surfaced. It’s been leaked (by the court filings of the case between Interplay and Bethesda over the Fallout MMO Interplay is working on) that Bethesda is working on it’s own “World of Warcraft type MMO””. Now VG247 claims to have been “very reliably informed” that this MMO is in an Elder Scrolls MMO. Combined with earlier rumors that elderscrollsonline.com has been registered by ZeniMax (Bethesda’s parent company) as well as a slip-up stating that the next Elder Scrolls game is set 200 years after Oblivion and it’s looking quite likely to be true. Apparently the MMO has been in development since late 2006. If we estimate a development cycle of four to five years then that means that this…
Know your legends: Atton Rand
Atton Rand, nicknamed “Jaq,” was a pilot, and one of the Lost Jedi, who helped the Jedi Exile defeat the Sith Triumvirate. He joined the Galactic Republic military and fought loyally under Revan in the Mandalorian Wars. He defected to Revan‘s side when the Jedi Knight became the Dark Lord of the Sith. While under Revan, he was put through intense combat training to make him an effective Jedi hunter. His job was to capture Jedi so that Revan and his acolytes could attempt to convert them into loyal Sith by means of torture, manipulation, and on pain of death. However, when a female Jedi prisoner revealed that he was Force-sensitive and that he would likely be subjected to such treatment himself, he went into hiding on Nar Shaddaa. Biography Fighting in the wars Atton, nicknamed “Jaq,” fought in the Mandalorian Wars as well as the Jedi Civil War. He…
Battles of the Star Wars Universe 3
This is a slideshow video of some of the many battles that take place throughout the expanded Star Wars universe and as well as battles that are seen in the Star Wars movies. I have used photos taken from comics, movies, novels, tv shows, and video games. The music used in this video includes: -Throne Room & End Title The battles featured in this video include: Galactic Civil War – 7 ABY – Battle of Tantive V Galactic Civil War – 7.5 ABY – Battle of Selaggis Galactic Civil War Thrawn Campaign – – 9 ABY – Battle of Obroa-skai Galactic Civil War Thrawn Campaign – 9 ABY – Battle of Sluis Van Galactic Civil War Thrawn Campaign – 9 ABY – Battle for the Katana fleet Galactic Civil War Thrawn Campaign – 9 ABY – Third Battle of Coruscant Galactic Civil War – 10 ABY – Fourth Battle of…
It’s a…trap?
Props to comicbookjer @ teefury. You can get the t-shirt here today (1/18/11) only. Don’t Look Directly Into The Trap “I looked at the trap, Ray
Star Wars: Wrath of the Mandalorian
Driven by revenge, Boba Fett has helped The Empire hunt down and destroy the last of the known Jedi Knights. But with his prize close at hand, the final truth will lead him to an ultimate showdown with the darkest power in the Galaxy This Star Wars fan film has been on out for a while, but I hadn’t seen it until now — it’s pretty impressive for a fan film. Not only does it throw in Walkers and TIE Fighters flying over a forest as Jedis take cover I noticed even the wipes between scenes were done in a style identical to the actual movies, a nice detail touch. And it has Bob Fett in it! Years after the Clone Wars end, Darth Vader sends bounty hunter Boba Fett to Kashyyyk to track down the last of the Jedi. Fett, motivated by revenge for his father’s death, proves effective…
Fan Friday & Threat of Peace
This Friday sees both the next three pages of the threat Threat of Peace comic as well as a Fan Friday update. The latter they decided to spruce up a bit, but more on that in a moment. First we’ve got the comic; here’s the official news: The twenty-fourth issue of Threat of Peace™ drops us right back into the action as Jedi Knight Satele Shan and Master Dar’Nala press their attack against Lord Baras. Satele is given pause, however, when Baras reveals the truth—that Master Dar’Nala was responsible for the recent violent attempts to undermine the peace treaty. As Satele considers the implications, Baras makes the bold attempt he’s been planning—now that Satele sees the true weakness of the Jedi, Baras urges her to join the Sith… Check out the latest issue of Threat of Peace now. The second update is a Fan Friday update, which includes a number…
Planets of Star Wars: The Old Republic – Tatooine
Tatooine (pronounced tætu’in) was a desert world in a binary star system in the Arkanis sector of the Outer Rim Territories. It was inhabited by poor locals who mostly farmed moisture for a living. Other activities included used equipment retailing and scrap dealing. The planet was on the 5709-DC Shipping Lane, a spur of the Triellus Trade Route, which itself connected to the Sisar Run. The planet was not far from the Corellian Run. It had its own navigation system. However, it would still play a role in galactic events, serving as the home of Anakin Skywalker. It was here that Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn recognized Anakin’s potential to become a Jedi and where he introduced him to Obi-Wan Kenobi, his future master and mentor. Tatooine was also the home of Anakin’s son, Luke, where he lived until his early adulthood. The planet built up a very bad reputation, often…
Target Launch Spring 2011 Confirmed
I just got an email from Sean Dahlberg, Star Wars: The Old Republic Community Manager, with the following text: While we have not announced a specific date, we can confirm that we are targeting a spring 2011 release for Star Wars™: The Old Republic™. We’ve got a lot of exciting updates and reveals planned throughout 2010, including the first-ever hands-on testing for the game. It’s not too late to sign up to be a game tester, so go to www.swtor.com/tester and sign up today. We can’t wait to share more about the game with you as we progress through the year, so make sure you stay tuned to the official website for details. You can also read the update on the official forums. Thanks Sean. Note that this is a target; they might miss their target it if they run into problems or such. This isn’t an official release date…
Rumor: The Old Republic Coming Spring 2011? [Update: Confirmed]
Update: Target Launch Spring 2011 Confirmed The news has been making the rounds across gaming news sites. Yesterday during EA’s fiscal year 2010 update conference call CEO John Riccitiello apparently made a statement that could be interpreted as indicating Star Wars: The Old Republic’s potential release date. When asked about EA’s upcoming plans for next year he said the following: “On the digital side, while we’ve got a great number of incredible initiatives, one key driver is going to be the launch date of our major MMO,” Riccitiello said. “As it stands today, the game is making great progress towards a spring 2011 launch. But given the volatility of this particular sector, and the fact that we haven’t yet provided a specific launch date, we will be excluding the revenue from our fiscal 2011 guidance plans.” No specific mention of Star Wars: The Old Republic, but people are reading “our…
Battles of the Star Wars Universe 2
This is a slideshow video of some of the many battles that take place throughout the expanded Star Wars universe and as well as battles that are seen in the Star Wars movies. We have used photos taken from comics, movies, novels, tv shows, and video games. The music used in this video includes (in order): Battle of the Heroes The Imperial March The Force Theme Duel of the Fates Watch in higher quality The battles features in this video include (note: The name of the battles are set in the conflict, year, battle and/or sub conflict): Clone Wars – 19 BBY – Battle of Kashyyyk Clone Wars – 19 BBY – Battle of Coruscant Clone Wars – 19 BBY – Battle of Utapau Clone Wars – 19 BBY – Battle of Mygeeto Clone Wars – 19 BBY – Battle of Felucia Clone Wars – 19 BBY – Second Battle…
While we wait for The Old Republic: Star Wars: Forced Alliance
Set 50 years after the events of Return of the Jedi, Forced Alliance is an alternate take of the Star Wars Universe. As the New Republic tries to rebuild, new threats arise and for 3 students of different beliefs it has become a dangerous place to be. Only through trust and fragile friendship can the 3 young Jedi hope to survive and discover if there is more to the Force than what they’ve been taught. This project is a television spec teaser. Written by Randolph Bookman
Dromund Kaas, Imperial Seat of Power
Colonized and built upon by the Sith Empire, Dromund Kaas is home to the Emperor and his Dark Council. Almost completely forgotten for over a thousand years, the rediscovery of this world prompted the Sith surprise attacks that plunged the entire galaxy headlong into war. Despite being “off the map” by comparison to more heavily visited planets, such as the training world of Korriban, Dromund Kaas is very much the center of the Empire. Although the Emperor himself seems to have fallen silent recently, his Dark Council may have awakened a dangerous, hidden power within the planet’s jungles and ruins. Access the HoloNet records to learn more about the mysterious past, and uncertain future of Dromund Kaas. Also, explore Dromund Kaas in this planet flythrough video, and be sure to check out the media section to see the latest wallpapers, screenshots, and concept art!
Threat of Peace, Issue #23
The twenty-third issue of Threat of Peace™ brings us beneath the surface of Dantooine where Sith Lords Baras and Angral are waiting in the planet’s ancient crystal caves; they know the Jedi will attack. Sure enough, Master Dar’Nala leads Jedi Knight Fortris Gall and Lieutenant Tavus to the caves to slay the Sith and lay the blame on them for destroying the peace treaty. When Jedi Knight Satele Shan tracks down her friends and realizes her Master yet lives, however, anything can happen… Check out the latest issue of Threat of Peace now.
Jon Stewart interviews George Lucas!
The creator of “Star Wars” and “Indiana Jones” reveals the secrets of the blockbuster film. George Lucas didn’t actually write a book, it’s just a doorstop so he could get on the show. The Daily Show With Jon Stewart Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c George Lucas www.thedailyshow.com Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Crisis For those of you outside the US
Battles of the Star Wars Universe 1
This is a slideshow video of some of the many battles that take place throughout the expanded Star Wars universe and as well as battles that are seen in the Star Wars movies. We have used photos taken from comics, movies, novels, tv shows, and video games. We used several Star Wars songs in this video which include (in order): Main Title & Rebel Blockade Runner The Asteroid Field The Emperor Arrives Battle of the Heroes The battles features in this video include (note: The name of the battles are set in the conflict, year, battle and/or sub conflict): Great Hyperspace War – 5000 BBY – Battle of Coruscant Great Hyperspace War – 5000 BBY – First Battle of Korriban Great Sith War – 3998 BBY – Naddist Uprising (aka Freedon Nadd Uprising) Great Sith War – Krath Holy Cursade – 3997 BBY – First Battle of Empress Teta Great…
Planets of Star Wars: The Old Republic – Alderaan
Alderaan was a Core Founder of the Galactic Republic in 25,053 BBY and one of the anchor-points for early hyperspace exploration. Alderaan was headquarters of Alderaan Royal Engineers, an early Republic shipwright. Alderaanian colonists settled Nim Drovis. During the Mandalorian Wars, the planet was threatened with invasion by the forces of Cassus Fett, but the entire invasion force was prematurely decimated, due to misuse of an ancient Sith artifact. During the peak of the Great Galactic War, the planet’s peace and tranquility was shattered by a full-scale Sith Empire. The Sith quickly overwhelmed the local defense forces and took the entire royal family hostage. In response, a Republic and Jedi taskforce launched a swift counter-offensive against the Sith; recapturing the planet and inflicting a heavy defeat on the Sith. As a consequence of the Sith invasion, the Alderaanian leadership adopted a hardline militarist stance towards the Sith Empire in the…
While we wait for The Old Republic: Star Wars Vs. Top TV Shows Of The 1980s
To day we give you not one, but two instalments of “While we wait for The Old Republic”. This time we will look at what Star Wars would look like if it was a 80’ies low budget TV show. Dallas opening What the Star Wars would look like if it was the Dallas TV-series Airwolf Rebels opening Airwolf theme. Good series, godd intro, good music. The Imperial version is next.. so enjoy! Airwolf Imperial opening Well.. since I’ve done Rebels, I had to do the Imperial side as well. Here it is, with a little twist in the cast, sort of ran out of bad guys 😉 Macgyver opening This time it’s Macgyver that gets to be Star Wars. A-Team opening I’ll guess there will be a lot of discussions about which characters that should be in the opening – theese where my chioces.
Developer Blog: The Imperial Agent
Since the BioWare Team is still on their well deserved holiday we did not get a large update this Friday. Still, everyone who is interested in the Imperial Agent may be quite pleased with the Developer Blog on this class. Senior Writer Alexander Freed explains the general concept behind the Agent before he delves into the specifics of this class. This unusual class doesn’t fit into an archetype of the Star Wars movies, so why did the developers choose the Imperial Agent then? Answers are given in the developer blog. We’re also promised some concrete information, but is actually appeared to have been censored. Instead of real character names we get some XX only: It all starts on Hutta, where XXX XXXXXX is trying to XXXX the XXXXXXXXXX of XXXXXX the Hutt. After XXX XXXXX XXXXXXX, the Imperial Agent XX XXXX XX XXXXXXXXXXX X XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXX on behalf of Darth…
Know your legends: Darth Sion
Darth Sion, the Lord of Pain, was a Sith Lord who lived in the time of the Old Sith Wars. As a Sith Marauder in the Great Sith War, Sion fought for Exar Kun’s Sith Empire until the day he was struck down. Rather than die, though, Sion found that by calling on his pain, anger, and hatred, he could rise from certain death and achieve immortality, at the cost of all-consuming agony. With a body fractured and decomposing, but held together by the dark side of the Force, Sion survived the Great Sith War. Sion allied himself with the next Sith Empire to arise in the galaxy, that of Darth Revan and Darth Malak. Those Sith, too, fell, and he watched from the Sith Academy on Korriban as the Empire tore itself apart. Sion soon found new purpose with Darth Traya and Darth Nihilus, a pair of Sith Lords…