BioWare has had a challenging year of ups and downs. There has been a lot of criticism of BioWare after the launch of Star Wars: The old Republic. In fact, the last 18 months have been rocky for BioWare. First, there was the disappointing release of Dragon Age 2 and then SWTOR did not perform as well as predicted and finally, there was the drama over the ending of Mass Effect 3. So it’s safe to say this has been a challenging year to year and a half for BioWare. However, this doesn’t mean the company has sunk. They are still a leader in the industry and Peter Moore, EA COO, has a lot of confidence in the future of BioWare. Eurogamer reports: BioWare has called on player feedback as it creates Dragon Age 3, released free downloadable content to add context to the divisive Mass Effect 3 ending, and…
More Legacy Rewards being Planned for SWTOR
Have you been wanting more Legacy rewards in SWTOR? Does it seem like a lot of effort to level up your Legacy for what you get? BioWare is listening and thre might be more Legacy rewards coming soon. Online Community Manager Joveth Gonzalez says this on the forums: Hello! So I spoke to Principle Lead Systems Designer Damion Schubert about this, and he feels that with some of the Legacy rebalancing that has occurred recently, he definitely agrees that there is a need for more rewards for players with Legacy levels 25 and higher. The team hasn’t made any decisions yet, but it is something that they are exploring. My thoughts (especially after visiting BioWare Austin) are that they had a lot planned that just didn’t make it into the game yet and they are now finally getting permission to move forward and finalize a lot of these things they…
Jeff Hickman Interview from GamesCom
During the biggest gaming event in Europe, GamesCom gaming convention in Cologne, Germany, SWTOR Life had the opportunity to interview Jeff Hickman and ask some questions about the game. Mr. Jeff Hickman, the new Executive Producer for Star Wars: The Old Republic sat and answered some interesting questions. You can see the video here: And here are some highlights of the interview from SWTOR Life. Introduction of Mr. Jeff Hickamn and his previous work as well as his tasks in the future His thoughts and plans on how to make the Free to Play model a reality When will Free to Play launch? Correlation between announced content (new warzone, raid etc.) and launch of Free to Play Once Free to Play goes live, will subscribers ever have to pay for anything (like a big expansion/content pack)? Will Makeb increase the level cap? How do you introduce a cash shop into a…
1.3.6 Patch Notes 8/21/2012
Servers are back up, an here are today’s patch notes. General After a player uses the “Reset Local Phases” option, they now must wait 30 minutes to use it again, increased from the prior wait time of 2 minutes. Companion Characters Xalek Many of Xalek’s personal conversations can now be had in Cantinas as intended. Flashpoints and Operations General Using combat revive abilities now consistently returns the revived player to combat if an encounter is still active. Non-boss enemies no longer occasionally respawn after an Operation group has been defeated and re-enters the Operation. Group Finder Pre-made groups of four players that queue for Group Finder now correctly receive daily mission credit. The “Travel Now” dialog no longer fires more frequently than intended. Players now receive an error when attempting to manually add a new group member while queued in Group Finder. Items (Items and Economy) Several Imperial head slot…
Does Player Marking Belong in PvP?
Here’s an interesting topic of debate- player marking in PvP. Both SWTOR and WoW have it and some people love it, where others hate it. I often play a healer in PvP (in both games) and I know what it’s like to be targeted for focus fire with a big mark over your head. You don’t have to see it to know it’s there. So here’s the question: does this feature belong in PvP? Some will say it is an essential part of the game, allowing teammates to coordinate and plan their attack, shut down the enemy healers and spot a targeted enemy from clear across the field. Others say it causes an unfair advantage and that is changes the play of the game, especially when the marks do not get removed upon death. So what do you think? Is player marketing an essential feature of PvP and warzones or…
SWTOR Grand Acquisitions Race Video Guide Roundup
Here are some pretty good videos about the current SWTOR event The Grand Acquisitions Race. If you’re still doing the event quests, they’re worth checking out. Remember you have until Tuesday to get it completed. Videos from SaiTorrsVideos: Part I of the Guide to SWTOR’s newest World Event, the Grand Acquisitions Race, taking place on multiple worlds in the search for miscellaneous items for personal enrichment. But could there be more behind the Chevin’s Scheme for Personal Enrichment? Items/Quests Covered in this section: (QUEST) On your Marks (QUEST) The Grand Acquisitions Race (ITEM) Vandrayk’s Tuning Apparatus (ITEM) Fossilized Krayt Dragon Pearl Part 2 of the Guide to SWTOR’s newest World Event, the Grand Acquisitions Race, taking place on multiple worlds in the search for miscellaneous items for personal enrichment. But could there be more behind the Chevin’s Scheme for Personal Enrichment? Also, do check out CC-Films, a friend of mine’s…
Chevin Grand Acquisitions Quest Tips and Hints
You still have until Tuesday to complete the Grand Acquisition quest chain and if you’re just now getting started, you’ll have to be quick to get it all done but there are also some benefits to starting later. For one, other people have already done it and leads have been revealed, making it a bit easier to get where you need to go and do what you need to do. I wanted to write a full guide to the quests for you but our dear friend Dulfy has already done all the hard work quicker and better than me. This is by far the best guide on the Internet you are going to find to the Grand Acquisition. Here she posts about the leads currently available (and bookmark the age because she is updating regularly): August 17 – Another Lead is now available August 16 – A New Lead is now available. August 15…
Is Electronic Arts Up for Sale?
Electronic Arts Inc. (Nasdaq:EA) is “quietly exploring” opportunities for it to be sold to private equity firms, according to a report by the New York Post. According to these reports, EA is talking to two different potential companies about a sale. Both are private equity companies- KKR & Co. L.P (NYSE: KKR) and Providence Equity Partners, a major shareholder in ZeniMax Media, an EA competitor. So what does this mean for EA? Honestly, it’s too early to tell. One source said “it’s early days” for any deliberation but then another source said that EA has “made it known they’d do a deal at $20 a share.” Either way, we’re basing all of this on rumor and not on any solid facts at this time. EA’s stock has struggled a bit lately, dropping 37% in the past year. However, they are still a leader in the industry and some might say that drop is just a…
Ancient Hypergates Gameplay
Are you excited about the new SWTOR Warzone, Ancient Hypergates? I was definitely interested in knowing more about this warzone, the objectives and what it would be like. I really enjoy PVP in SWTOR but doing the same warzones over and over can get boring. A new warzone will be a nice refreshing addition to the game. Anyway, some of the folks in Cologne, Germany at Gamescom were able to visit the SWTOR booth and get a good look at Ancient Hypergates for themselves. Here’s some info on it complete with a gameplay video so you can see for yourselves: The objective of the warzone is to activate the two pylons which then start a countdown before they explode. To save yourself from the explosion all players must go to the middle room where they fight it out until the explosion is over. All the while each kill brings you…
Gamescom 2012: Interview with Matthew Broomberg
German Gaming site gamesaktuell.de has an interesting interview with Matthew Broomberg General Manager at BioWare Austin. Here is the highlights: First answer to question some people love it, some people hate it, what do you think of F2P… answer, read straight from the PR briefing “It brings new players, I don’t think that’s a bad thing””. Fluff…. 3:05 “F2P is not as big a deal as people make it” A lot of people make too much of the business model change. Question “no free-to-play did it withing 9-11 months”. answer “you should be innovative and aggresive”. “the game is lightyears on from where it was at launch.” They want to bring players “back”“. Some waffle about Warhammer Online. ~6:00 “pay-to-win”? “We would never want to do anything to harm the game, obviously” “vanity, convenience, that’s easy” “save time, new players, speed up levelling” “that’s a long way-a-way form play-to-win, we would never do…
SWTOR Armstech Leveling Guide 1-400
The patterns in this leveling guide for Armstech are obtainable from an Armstech Trainer only. Armstech is used to make weapons, weapon parts and mods for tech users and the classes that can use them are the Smuggler, Bounty Hunter, Imperial Agent and Trooper. The primary gathering skill used in Armstech is Scavenging using compounds and scavenged metals. The secondary mission skill is Investigation using research compounds. After you complete each step, you can train for the next level by visiting the Armstech Crew Skill Trainer. Reverse engineering is an option that will allow you to use fewer materials on the items you make. However, this process produces random materials so it’s impossible to calculate a precise number for players to use. For this reasons, this leveling guide is based on the materials needed when reverse engineering for Armstech is not used, so you’ll know exactly what you’ll need. Here…
The One Thread on SWTOR Forums you Should Read and Contribute To
It began on August 13th and already the thread is 12 pages long. This is the one thread on SWTOR forums you need to read and contribute to. It’s “A Thousand Papercuts” and some of you may already be familiar with the concept. The original poster gives the background of the concept, which began on the EVE Online forums. The explanation is long but interesting and worth the read if you’re not familiar with the idea. In late 2010, there was a thread created on the EVE Online forums with the same title. The players organized to civilly and thoughtfully outline their issues with the game, sticking almost exclusively to small, quality of life issues, or very simplistic suggestions to improve their gameplay experience. These small issues were referred to as “papercuts”; small problems or issues that do not affect the overall playability of the game but that can be…
The Grand Acquisition Ends Tuesday
Joveth Gonzalez | Online Community Manager stopped by the forums to let us know that the Grand Acquisition will be ending on Tuesday so now is your chance to get in and complete the world event over the weekend. If you haven’t started yet, now is the time. The post reads: The Chevin Conglomerate has decreed that you will have until next Tuesday (August 21st) at 2AM CDT (12AM PDT/3AM EDT/8 AM BST/9AM CEST/5PM AEST) to finish up the Grand Acquisitions Race. They’ve also decreed that the Shady Dealer will remain for an additional week after the race ends, citing “feedback” as the primary reason. Good luck! So now you know how long the event is up and it’s time to get out there and get started (or finished) if you haven’t already.
Patch Notes: 1.3.5b 8/16/12
As you properly already know, BioWare took down the servers today, to do an unscheduled maintenance for Star Wars: The old republic. Apparently there was a bug in the world witch was fixed. Check it out in the patvh notes below: 1.3.5b Patch Notes 8/16/2012 General Resolved an issue that could allow players to obtain The Grand Acquisitions Race items without completing the appropriate missions.
SWTOR- What Does F2P Mean?
Everyone is talking about SWTOR going free to play. It seems everyone has a theory and an opinion on the topic and whether or not it’s a good thing for BioWare/EA. The big question seems to be whether or not the F2P model is chosen because SWTOR flopped on release or just because it makes more sense and is better for the current economic market in the world today. MMORPG.com had a few words from Richard Aihoshi on the topic. In addition to this, they did a poll with some other experts in the field: Hendrik Klindworth is the Founder and Managing Director of InnoGames (Forge of Empires, Grepolis et al) Jay Choi is the Chief Operations Officer at Gravity Interactive(Ragnarok Online, Dragon Saga et al) Jungsoo Lee is the Vice President of Live Development atSG Interactive (formerly Ntreev; Pangya Golf, Trickster Online et al) Flaviio Daneil Caracasis the Chief Marketing Officer at Rock Hippo Productions (Brawl Busters, MicroVolts) Here…
EA’s Gamescom Press Conference 2012
EA’s Gamescom had some things to say about SWTOR this year and we know how excited everyone is to hear the next new piece of information. If you watch the video starting from this point, you can jump right to the talk about SWTOR with Bromberg. EA’s Gamescom 2012 Press Conference replay from the Cologne Palladium in Germany featuring the new GM of BioWare Austin, Matt Bromberg. The highlights: Free to play this fall Cartel coins (virtual currency) More frequent content updates New operation: Terror from Beyond New series of space missions New Warzone: Ancient Hypergates More dynamic in-game events The video also features a trailer for The Grand Acquisition, the current in game event as well as a sneak peak of the video we brought you yesterday (confirming it is official). See the full press conference video below:
Doctors are Not Leaving BioWare despite Earlier Rumors in the Press
We recently brought you the story of the rumor about Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk leaving BioWare. Well, there is good news for fans of the doctors because they are not actually leaving the company. As I told you before, Matthew Bromberg has been the new leader of BioWare Austin since May but this is not because Greg is leaving BioWare but instead because he’s just leaving Austin to go back home. In a statement to the press, he explains: “”With regard to BioWare Austin, I handed off the leadership of the studio to Matthew Bromberg quite some time ago (back in May),” he said. “Ray [Muzyka, BioWare co-founder] and I picked Matthew to take over and he’s been doing a great job with the studio. “”My time in Austin was always planned to have a finite endpoint (my family was still living in Edmonton throughout my time in Austin)…
SWTOR Free to Play Commercial
We came across a really cool SWTOR commercial for the free to play feature coming this fall. I’m not sure yet that it is an official SWTOR video but it looks like it could be. It’s short and plays on the “choose a side” battle between Empire and Republic which is what the storyline for the game is based around. This 32-second spot looks like it would fit perfectly in a television commercial slot and that it was designed so that the voice dubbing could be done in any language over the same video. Check it out and let us know what you think. EA and BioWare announced they will be expanding Star Wars: The Old Republic by adding a new free-to-play option this fall. And for everyone who plays between now and then or who was previously subscribed, there will be benefits by way of Cartel Coins. Players who…
SWTOR New Operation Terror from Beyond
There’s a lot of great news coming out of Gamescom today, including exciting news from EA. SWTOR is getting some great new features, including a new operation called Terror from Beyond. In an EA press conference this morning, we learned about the new changes and additions to SWTOR. Matthew Bromberg, new head of BioWare Austin, confirmed a number of new changes for Star Wars: The Old Republic. Challenge of the Chevin, the new SWTOR live event, was launched today. But then there is more (coming next month): Terror from Beyond – a new Operation on Belsavis. Ancient Hypergate – a new PvP Warzone New Flying Missions – aimed at level 50 players There was also a sneak peek at a new live action trailer for the next phase in SWTOR as the Free to Play change draws nearer. It looks really exciting. Stay tuned as we will keep you updated on any new info coming out of Gamescom about…
SWTOR Live Event – The Grand Acquisitions Race
SWTOR is launching its second live event tilted: “The Grand Acquisitions Race”. Be ready for the arrival of the Chevin. We’ve been waiting on another live event and now it’s here. The event has begun and you can start the quest chain now. And of course, there will be rewards for doing so! Who are the Chevin? [box] “Chevin are a bipedal pachydermoid sentient species native to the planet Vinsoth. They had a poor reputation in much of the galaxy, partly due to their involvement in unsavory activities such as smuggling, and partly because they had enslaved the Chevs, a humanoid species who shared Vinsoth with them.” Via SWTOR Wikia [/box] Players have been waiting for a new event for a long time now and while rumors will abound, the entire point of the world events is that we do not know they are coming until they’re here. Check out…
CNN Money Discusses SWTOR’s Free to Play Model
Star Wars: The Old Republic made big news when it announced that it would go free to play very soon. After all, it was just released in December of 2011, so it’s still a fairly new game. It’s also one of the most expensive MMOs ever made and it took years to put it all together. While some predicted the change in the model, others thought it might hand on a little longer before making the change. So, why is one of the most expensive video games ever made making such a drastic change? Here’s what CNN Money had to say about the decision: “It’s a straightforward economics problem. The subscription business model cuts off casual players, who can’t justify paying $15 a month (particularly in this tough economy) for a game they only touch on occasion. That leaves the hard-core players, who are often reluctant to split their time…
Expert: MMORPG Players Better than MBA candidates?
According to learning guru John Seely Brown, expert World of Warcraft players make better job candidates than an MBA from Harvard. While that may sound a little bizarre, you can listen to his explanation on a youtube video below. While some employers still hang onto the old notion that job applicants who play video games are not the best candidates, perhaps because they believe they’ll spend their days playing online and are easily distracted, smart companies realize the value of the leadership skills as well as organization skills that are learned by WoW players, making them the better candidate for the job.YouTube video here. Seely Brown is just one among many who have come to the same conclusion, and he is certainly not a slacker by any means. He is currently an independent co-chair of the Deloitte Center for Edge Innovation and has degrees in physics and mathematics from Brown…
What Are Bioware Fans Looking For?
Apparently, there are a large number of people who are claiming that Bioware is ruined forever and that they have betrayed their fans. Some are so upset they’ve vowed never to purchase a game with the name Bioware on it ever again. Why are they so angry, and what does the company need to do to satisfy the fans who have alleged betrayal? Bioware has a great history of getting things right. Obviously they’re not going to knock one out of the ballpark every single time, but many fans are concerned that Bioware thinks they can get away with making rushed products only for the sake of the dollar instead of cranking out games where there was obviously a lot more effort put into the final product. In Eric Cain’s blog at Forbes.com, Cain admitted he was “extremely harsh on Bioware,” and added, “I was biased, and while I stand…
Community Q&A August 10 – 2012
In this weeks Community Q&A Damion Schubert goes solo, and answers all questions you may have about the “Free to play” model. This will also be the last community Q&A in this format, as BioWare are changing strategy and will instread be focusing on bringing us more frequent and consistent developer responses in the forums instead. Check it out below: ButeoRegalis: Are subscriptions the only way to gain Cartel Coins (CCs) in the future, meaning, aside from the bonus coins we’re getting until the Free-to-Play option goes live? Can you purchase them without a subscription? Damion Schubert (Principal Lead Systems Designer): All players will be able to purchase Cartel Coins by purchasing them on our website and eventually in-game. These coins are used to buy various virtual items from the Cartel Market. Free-to-Play members can also use Cartel Coins to unlock certain game restrictions. Samohnat: Will Cartel Coins be available via…