This Star Wars: The Old Republic presentation took place recently in London at the MCM Expo. There was a Q&A session to provide more info about the game and upcoming updates and patches as well as new features we can expect to see soon. The discussion had the following topics: General Presentation of the Game Previous Updates Game Update 1.2 Legacy Presentation The Old Republic said this: This information was gathered from the available livestream provided by Gamespot and it summarizes the topics discussed in that hour, along with the Q&A. Keep in mind that at the Q&A the answers capture the essence of what was spoken. The host of this presentation was Emanuel Lusinchi, Technical Design Director for Star Wars: The Old Republic. The discussion included Game Update 1.3 Allies Presentation which tells us more about what we can expect from this update, including: Group Finder: • Bonus…
Species of Starwars: Geonosian
An insectoid species divided into castes, the Geonosians are native to the harsh rocky world of Geonosis. Geonosians construct immense, organic-looking spires within which reside their hive colonies. There are two main types of Geonosians: the wingless drones that mostly work as laborers, and the winged aristocrat, which includes royal warriors serving as scouts and providing security to the hive. All Geonosians have a hard, chitinous exoskeleton, elongated faces, multi-jointed limbs, and speak in a strange clicking language. Though labeled “warriors,” Geonosians do not have a standing military. They instead use their droid foundries to build armies for corporate interests wealthy enough to afford them—entities such as the Trade Federation and the Techno Union. Despite relatively simple minds, the Geonosians are adept at mechanical construction, and are contractors to many of the galaxy’s biggest manufacturing concerns. They are responsible for the construction of some of the largest feats of engineering…
TOR TV: Bug’s and Linedance
Searching through Youtube for SWTOR goodies I cam across these two videos. First one is another dancing video, this time by WNxJokazWild. It’s called “Bored in SWTOR: WN Style” and shows half naked aliens dancing. Not quite sure what races to be hornets, but check it out: The other video by ViralPerfection hangs out Khem Val as a pervert. I can’t stop thinking about what my companions do when I log out the game. I don’t know if it is the heat, ot the fact that we are nearing summer, but today’s videos was a little naughty. Anyways, If you Have suggestions for movie we ought to feature – other then “let’s play SWTOR” Get in contact with us.
Happy Birthday, “STAR WARS”! When did you first see it?
We got so caught up in all of the Mega server news and BioWare Layoffs, that I almost forgot that last Friday was the 35th anniversary of the premiere of Star Wars. On May 25, 1977, George Lucas premiered “Episode IV: A New Hope” and changed the lives of kids like me (I don’t think I saw the movie until later in the summer, when word spread about how good the movie was). In fact, the anniversary has spawned another “holiday”, known as “Geek Pride Day.” Here’s one of my favorite scenes from the film, the attack on the Death Star (aka the “trench run”). I still get chills watching this: The effects of Star Wars on the world are too numerous to list here on this blog post. From movie-making techniques to the explosion of science-fiction in books, movies and TV and even YouTube, to video games and beyond,…
Intergalactic Intel: Making change
“Do you ever visit the official forums?” I laughed at my guild mate’s naiveté . “Why on earth would I visit the official forums?” “Well there are a lot of good ideas on it.” “And a bunch of whining babies…” “Well, how else do you get Bioware to pay attention to you?” Welcome back to another installment of Intergalactic Intel! Our topic this week is something that isn’t just limited to The Old Republic, but games in general. Being a veteran gamer I’ve seen games change, different communities evolve and adapt. I’ve also seen companies literally go to war with their customers sowing seeds of distrust and discontent. So this week we’re going to go over ways gamers can work with developers to create a better product. Step 1: Think before you post Before you start with a forum post raging about how they nerfed your class, or a fight…
Q &A for Friday May 28- Ranked Warzones is on track for 1.3!
This week’s Q&A is a special edition because we have great info on the upcoming 1.3 game update. One thing that many players are very excited about is the inclusion of ranked warzones. But that’s not all that we should expect for game update 1.3. Let’s see more of this special edition Q&A to find out. Here’s a snippet: >llesna: Can you please tell us why the upcoming Legacy additions for Game Update 1.3 are character-specific rather than Legacy-wide? Daniel Erickson (Lead Game Designer): Legacy Perks have a different purpose than global unlocks and are specifically designed to enable players to customize each individual character. Since you may not care about Space XP or running the Bonus Series missions on one character it is important that you’re not paying a premium that is calculated at the expense of 8 or more characters all gaining this benefit. This also means the…
Will it Help SWTOR to Get Megaservers?
Big changes and additions are happening with SWTOR. In addition to the announcement of the new patch (1.3) coming soon, there was also a big exodus at the BioWare Austin studio. This was a huge disappointment to me because I went there, toured the studio with David Bass, saw employees hard and work and also saw how much all of the staff there seemed to care so much about their job. It really is a sad day to see so many people let go who really cared about the game and have put so many years of hard work into the game. Of course it is the nature of the game that staff gets let go from a video game project once the game is launched and less work is needed for it but letting community manager Stephen Reid go was a real blow. Why would a successful game let…
LucasArts to Reveal Secret Title at E3
E3 is coming up and we all know that this is often a great opportunity for surprises. One of the best surprises to come out of events like E3 is a new game title and that’s what LucasArts is rumored to have coming for us. As reported by 8Bit Envy: E3 is a great time for surprises, and wouldn’t it be great if LucasArts finally revealed Battlefront 3? Now I’m not saying they will, but when you get an invitation to come see an “unannounced game in development,” you can’t help but be optimistic. So, being the curious lad that I am, asked whether or not this unannounced title would have lightsabers in it. The answer wasn’t confirmed, but it wasn’t denied either. There has been numerous posts about Battlefront 3 being in the works, then being canceled, so anything is possible. LucasArts did confirm they were using the Unreal…
Population Estimates for the Top 20 US Servers
Just how many people are playing SWTOR in the US right now? We keep hearing the term “ghost town” being tossed around but is it really that bad? Here are the top 20 US servers: Top 20 US The Fatman (PvP US East) Population ≈ 2005.625 Jedi Covenant (PvE US East) Population ≈ 1140 Drooga’s Pleasure Barge (PvE US West) Population ≈ 860 The Harbinger (PvE US West) Population ≈ 840 Canderous Ordo (PvE US East) Population ≈ 690 The Swiftsure (PvP US West) Population ≈ 670 Lord Adraas (RP PvE US East) Population ≈ 620 The Ebon Hawk (RP PvE US East) Population ≈ 610 Ajunta Pall (RP PvP US West) Population ≈ 580 Jung Ma (RP PvP US East) Population ≈ 580 Mind Trick (PvE US East) Population ≈ 470 The Shadowlands (PvE US East) Population ≈ 440 Shadow Hand (PvE US East) Population ≈ 420 Zakkeg Beast…
SWTOR vs SWG Survey Results: Week 1
Remember that survey we told you about recently from Gemtrix? If you took part in the SWTOR vs SWG survey, you can now see the first week’s results. This survey will be ongoing so each week there will be updates to see how the survey continues to unfold. These results are as of May 24th, 2012 @ 9:18am EST. There are 1,096 responses in record here. Week 1 results are just the beginning. Each week this will continue. So if you didn’t participate in the survey yet, head back over and answer the questions. Your results will be part of week 2. Gemtrix.com said: There are a couple things that you should keep in mind: All questions, and responses are optional. As such, any voter is free to skips questions, vote for multiple line items, etc. This means that anyone is free to say that they prefer SWTOR, and SWG,…
TOR TV: Level 50 PvP Young Guns Music Video
This Video depicting current level 50 PvP gameplay in Star Wars The Old Republic on the Lord Ieldis server, is created by youtube user John James. The SWTOR community really needs more contributions like this. It’s a great and rally fun video – Body type 4 just makes it amazing :p Check it out: Interested in SWTOR Movies? We have new movies most weekdays here on swtorstrategies! Have suggestions for movie we ought to feature? Get in contact with us
Combat the Haters: Tell Us Why You Love SWTOR
Due to recent events, there have been many putting down the game of SWTOR and many who have lost faith in BioWare. When I tweet an update or a story, I get several responses telling me how “SWTOR has died” and the game sucks. I believe in freedom of expression and I respect the opinions of others and their rights to have such opinions but that doesn’t mean I agree with them. I’m not sure SWTOR is dead yet. I can understand the dissatisfaction some people are feeling. There are some things that I was really bummed at about the game, too. But there are also a lot of great things about the game. I feel like some people didn’t give it a fair enough chance. They tried it and thought ‘it doesn’t have everything I want’ and they quit. While some players were let down by the game, there…
‘Kinect: Star Wars’ Composers Share the Creative Process
Kinect Star Wars Composers Gordy Haab and Kyle Newmaster tell MTV more about what it’s like to create the music behind the game. Regardless of what some critics said of the game, the soundtrack gives Star Wars fans everything they want and more. It’s fun, it’s exciting, it’s moving and it all came thanks to two very talented composers. As gamers, we don’t always think about the work that goes into the soundtracks of games like this. Yet when we walk away from the game and go to school or work, the music stays with us. We hum it aloud or in our head and we look forward to when we get the chance to play again. MTV Multiplayer interviews the two composers about their work on the game: MTV Multiplayer: Was John Williams or George Lucas involved at all in the creation of the tracks for the game? How…
SWTOR Smuggler Gunslinger Leveling Build For 1.2
Today we have another build form the guys over at www.swtorsavior.com and continuing the trend of builds for 1.2 that will help you if you need a hand leveling up fast. This one is for the Smuggler and the Gunsliner advanced class. Here is the build: SWTOR Smuggler Gunslinger Leveling Build: Here are some rotations you can use with the build: Your best bet on a companion with this build is Corso Riggs or Bowdaar. Here is the rotation to use from level 10-20: Aimed Shot > Sabotage Charge > Vital Shot > Charged Burst > Flurry of Bolts At level 20 you will get a skill named Shock Charge and your rotation to use is: Aimed Shot > Sabotage Charge > Shock Charge > Vital Shot > Charged Burst > Flurry of Bolts Lastly at level 40 you will get a skill called Incendiary Grenade and at that point…
What is This Stuff Coming in SWTOR Game Update 1.4?
Sure, we’re all excited about 1.3 because this is coming up next. Server transfers and group finders are top of the list and we also get more updates and expansions to the Legacy System (Legacy Perks) but at the end of their latest video, they also give us some teasers of what we will see in 1.4 and beyond. Here are some screenshots: But what the heck is it? The first image definitely looks like the Foundry. This could be interesting but how will they bring it into the game? A new Flashpoint, perhaps? I’m thinking the station could possibly have something to do with guild ships as well. Maybe we have to build these up over time to earn the ability to build our guild ships. Or maybe it is some sort of access to a guild hall of sorts (Beam me up Scotty!) What do you think it…
Daniel Erickson reveals plan to merge into super-servers!
Here is an interesting piece of news. In an interview with PC Gamer, our main man Daniel Erickson, spilled the beans about the upcoming serve transfers. Answering a question about the upcoming changes in patch 1.3 regarding the group finder tool, Mr. Erickson had an interesting answer: From the interview: PCG: Will they be cross-server at launch? Is that planned for the future? DE: They will not be cross-server as we are coming up on a huge move to servers with massively higher population caps than we have today. So is that how they’re going to (more or less) avoid the stigma of server mergers? Best they could do, I guess. No more low-pop servers, same-server Group Finder viable… nice! I, for one, will welcome our new super-server overlords.
BioWare layoff updates
It has been a sad couple of days for many BioWare employers as many have to look for a new job. Today we can confirm that Stephen Reid was in fact one of the of the team members who have to look for a new job. On his Facebook and Twitter he gave the following statement: Today my life’s next chapter starts. Lost track of how many chapters so far… but time to turn the page. I was one of those affected by layoffs at BioWare Austin yesterday. I got to build an amazing team while I was there, and miss them already. I’m also going to miss #SWTOR and the community we created. Sure, I know some of you hated me, but hey, I still worked hard for you. 🙂 I’ll be Twitter-quiet for a bit, but I’ll be back soon-ish. Doing something, somewhere, and talking about it here. I hope we keep talking. Last but…
SWTOR Patch 1.3 Interview with Daniel Erickson
BioWare’s Daniel Erickson, Lead Designer for Star Wars: The Old Republic revealed some interesting information in an interview with SWTOR Hub about patch 1.3 and what we can expect in the future of the game. With many players and skeptics questioning whether or not there will even be a future of the game, this is as good a time as any for BioWare staff to come out with more info to keep players interested. Here is a snippet: Ten Ton Hammer: Is the developing team satisfied with the current direction of the game or can we look forward to the game moving into another direction, like harder content with more prestige items? Daniel Erickson: The best thing about a live MMO is that you have a living, changing game. SWTOR will continue to evolve and improve across the board. Harder content outside the operations is a personal passion of mine…
MTSBWY: Darth Schwarzenegger
With all the sad news of BioWare Layoffs I thought it was time for a smile. Therefor I present to you a new “may the schwartz be with you”, this time with oldie but goodie. What you are about to see, is an earlier casting of Star Wars IV: A New Hope were Arnold Schwarzenegger put a juvenile, jealous and rather perverted spin on Darth Vader’s explosive personality. George Lucas had second thoughts and cast James Earl Jones instead. Enjoy these exclusive clips from the “lost tapes” archives of Skywalker Ranch. You kids are soft… You lack deciplin! ” it’s time now to turn this mush into muscles! STOP Being such a pussy NAOW!
Did Stephen Reid just get Canned?
EDIT. Yes he did. Here is the article. Yesterday we told you about upcoming restructuring at the BioWare Austin studio. All the the details are still extremely sparse, and We do not know the numbers, nor do we know of any specific staff members who are affected. Rumors are starting to spread around the internet though, as people like Stephen Reid updated his LinkedIn page to read that his tenure with BioWare ended on May 2012… Tina Wall, a former BioWare QA tester also had a few tweets yesterday worth noticing. @ChemicalPink: I am sitting at a very large table of newly unemployed people. We’ve all ordered booze. @ChemicalPink: Despite the overtones of sadness at the table, most everyone is fairly optimistic and seems to be dealing well. This article on the layoffs, the development team consisted of eight hundred developers across three cities and two countries. That’s absolutely MASSIVE team! Too many cooks in the kitchen, that many…
Coming Soon to STAR WARS: The Old Republic
Yesterday we updated you on what to expect with Patch 1.3 which will be titled ” Allies”. Today, same day as BioWare goes public with there layoffs, BioWare get a small video with a patch Overview. See what the future holds for Star Wars™: The Old Republic™, as Game Director James Ohlen highlights some of the new game systems coming in Game Update 1.3, as well as some of the playable content that will be released in the coming months. In this ‘Coming Up’ video, you will learn about the new Group Finder and Character Transfer systems, as well as new Legacy Perks and other features that are coming in the next Game Update, Allies. Side note. I feel bad for him having to read off those scripts. They need to give their developers time to read over scripts before putting them in front of a camera. It makes them sound like William Shatner: “And…the new…features…
BioWare Layoffs
It’s not news that Electronic Arts was about to layoff a large amount of people in the future. It was mention at the EA conferance call. What we diden’t know though was going to affect BioWare and Star Wars: The old republic. Today we learned otherwise as the doctors posted on the official SWTOR Forums. Hey folks, since you’re reading this you may likely have heard that we’ve done some restructuring here on the SWTOR team. Sadly, we are bidding farewell to some talented, passionate and exceptionally hard-working people who helped make SWTOR a reality. Impacting people’s lives this way is always very hard, but we’re ensuring the affected people are treated with dignity, fairness and respect. Looking back at launch, we all came together and did something historic. We executed one of the largest, most successful and stable launches of any MMO yet in industry history. That is not an easy…
Guide to End Game Stuff
I just can’t say enough how appreciative I am of Dulfy from Dulfy.net and all the great game content she brings us for SWTOR. So she does all the things I want to do but don’t have the time to. And now, she’s done it again with a great list if leveling heroics, bonus series and their associated rewards. Empire list: http://dulfy.net/2012/05/13/heroic-quests-bonus-series-and-their-rewardsempire/ Republic list: http://dulfy.net/2012/05/13/heroic-quests-bonus-series-and-their-rewardsrepublic/ She also explains as follows: For every quest there are 1) Torhead tooltips for the mission so you can see the steps or get more details. 2) Name of the NPC to start the quest (first name recorded only) 3) Location of the NPC (Both the area and the exact coordinates) 4) General and class specific rewards. As you can see, this is a very useful resource so bookmark the URL that applies to you (or both if you play both sides) and refer to…
SWTOR vs. SWG: Place Your Vote Now
Gemtrix has brought us an interesting survey that they say they will leave up indefinitely to serve as a guideline for what people think about Star Wars: An Empire Divided vs. Star Wars: The Old Republic. This 73-question survey asks you to give answers to questions about each game. All questions are optional but the more you answer, the more data we all have about the games. Here is what Gemtrix has to say about how this will work: We are going to leave this survey up indefinitely, so as time goes on, we hope it will serve as a set of data points that bloggers can use when talking about these two games. The results will be posted weekly, so check back next week for the first set of results.