The big day is almost here for Mass Effect fans. The third and final game in the Mass Effect series has a lot to live up to and if the single and multiplayer demo (recently released) is any indication of how the rest of the game will play, fans of the series have nothing to worry about. Mass Effect 3 comes out on March 6 for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. ($59.99 on Amazon) Here’s some interesting Mass Effect 3 news: Razer And BioWare Reveal New ‘Mass Effect 3’ Gaming Gear Minimum System Requirements: OS – Windows XP SP3/Vista SP1, Win 7 CPU: 1.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo (equivalent AMD CPU) RAM: 1GB for XP / 2GB RAM for Vista/Win 7 Hard Drive: 2.5 GB of free space Video: 256 MB* (with Pixel Shader 3.0 support) *Supported chipsets: NVIDIA 7900 or better; ATI X1800 or better. Please…
HeroEngine surpasses 5,000 licensees in part due to SWTOR
HeroEngine from Idea Fabrik now has more than 5,000 licenses, a feat they credit partly due to BioWare’s Star Wars: The Old Republic, which uses the platform. The success of SWTOR has been big and the German company believes that SWTOR’s success is one reason there has been such a spike in the licenses for Hero Engine. Following Star Wars: The Old Republic’s release, Idea Fabrik received thousands of inquiries about the engine last January from studios both large and small, more than in any other period in the company’s existence. Idea Fabrik believes it was able to attract its new licensees because large games built on its platform helped prove that its technology — which accommodates a wide range of online projects, from MMORPGs to social games — could handle titles of their scale. “This lowers the perceived risk of developers in adopting the HeroEngine platform,” claims Idea Fabrik…
TOR TV: Assassin vs. Assassin Duels. Zybak vs. Jerk
Are you wondering about PvP in SWTOR or looking to learn more about assassin vs. assassin duels? For anyone who plays assassin or just wants to learn a bit more about the class in PvP, this is a great video. It’s also fun to watch if you just want to know more about how PvP in SWTOR works. While each class is different in the abilities you can get, this video shows some techniques that are helpful to any player. Uploader Zybak explains the video, “This video is intended to show tips and tricks on how to beat other Assassins/Shadows in 1v1 duels. I duel the best Assassin on the server, Jerk. He is nearly valor rank 80 and has full Battlemaster pvp gear.” Check out the vid:
Mass Effect 3 : “Take Earth Back” TRAILER
The time is almost here and the Mass Effect 3: “Take Back Earth” trailer has been released and is boosting the hype for the new game. The trailer first aired on Sunday night and has gone viral on YouTube and Facebook in less than 48 hours. The fans are truly pumped up about this one. EA originally plannedto release the game in 2011 but delayed the launch until early 2012. It is oneof the most anticipated video game launches of the quarter and expected to be alarge market opportunity for EA. First week sales of Mass Effect 2 reached 2 million units,which can lead us to only guess that ME3 will do as well or better. Mass Effect 3 will be released onXBox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC starting with a US release on March 6. So here is the trailer if you’ve yet to see it for yourself:
1.1.4 Patch Notes — 2/22/2012
BioWare patched the game a day later then normal this time. We are all used to patches coming on Tuesdays, but for some reason the company chose today to bring the game up to version 1.1.4. Here are the full patch notes: General The key formerly bound to /bug can now be mapped to any action and no longer opens the /bug window. The command is no longer able to be bound to a quickslot, but player can still type /bug in chat to open a new bug report. Classes and Combat General Using abilities with indirect targeting (such as area of effect abilities) will no longer cause players to be flagged for PvP if a PvP-flagged player from the opposing faction is within the ability’s range, and the ability will have no effect on the PvP-flagged player. Imperial Agent Operative Medical Therapy: Kolto Probe and Recuperative nanotech will now properly benefit from this skill….
Rare Video Interview with Ackbar Voice Actor
“It’s a trap!” San Francisco’s SFGate.com has a rare video interview with KPFA radio dramatist Erik Bauersfeld. For those not up on their Star Wars trivia, Bauersfeld is the voice of Admiral Ackbar from Return of the Jedi. He is responsible for the iconic “It’s a trap!” line and he was also the voice of Bib Fortuna and he even auditioned for the voice of Yoda. Here are some interesting facts from the interview: When the movie first released, he wasn’t listed on the cast but has been credited since then. He was unaware that his famous line had become an Internet meme. He’s still never seen the original “Star Wars”. He saves Star Wars fan letters in a filing cabinet and writes a personal response to each one. Here is a few more videos you should checkout:
Some Kudos for BioWare Customer Service
We have seen a lot of posts about Bioware being evil and SWToR support being horrible. We’ve even published quite a few of those complaints here on the site. But now we’ve found another good example of BioWare staff doing something good. Some players have received automated responses from the CSR team saying their account is suspended for spamming or other violations of the terms of use but they don’t provide any information on what they did. When these players then contact the customer service team to get more clarification on what they did wrong, they sometimes receive the same automated-type message back. But here’s a player who feels he was wrongfully banned, wrote to BioWare customer service to try to find out what he did wrong (and avoid doing it again) and he got a positive response. BioWare admitted they made a mistake, removed the ban and compensated the…
New BioWare video: A Look At Star Wars: The Old Republic
BioWare have just released a brand new video entitled ” A Look At The Old Republic” This video is properly meant to be used for marketing purposes more then for giving game updates for the players. It’s still a fun view, even though it doesn’t contain any new information for veteran players. Check it out below: Star Wars™: The Old Republic™ has been an incredible hit, becoming the fastest-selling MMO of all time with over a million players starting their own Star Wars™ saga in the first 24 hours! See for yourself what just a few of these players have to say about their experiences with the game in this new video!
SWTOR Review from TechTalk
Once again, we see SWTOR in a big news source. CBS News has a review of the game in their TechTalk section. Their piece titled “Star Wars: The Old Republic puts the role-playing back in the MMORPG” tell us just that- how they feel BioWare put the role-playing aspect back into MMORPGs. This is a good point to make about the game. The story is the biggest selling point of this game and it’s the one thing that stands out and separates the game from other MMOs. They tell us: The Old Republic brings these staples of any good BioWare game and throws them into the culture of massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPG). The result is something that feels markedly different than anything other MMORPGs have to offer, while never straying too far from the established formula. This review is less of a review in the traditional sense and…
SWTOR Smuggler Gunslinger PVE/Leveling Build With Step By Step Point Allocation
Swtorsavior have released a new pve leveling build. This build is for the Smuggler using the Gunslinger advanced class in SWTOR. It is a PVE leveling build and as mentioned in the video is a good base if you want a solid leveling build as a Smuggler. As always I will recommend you to get the guide to get the full advantage of all swtorsavior.com amazing features. It is available right here.
Intergalactic Intel: An interview with Vodka
Graywulf has joined the party. “What the hell Niggles?!” “What?” My friend questioned in chat. “Yeah what?” Graywulf had no idea he had just intrrupted my interview. “I’m interviewing Niggles, I still have three more questions…” I added an emoticon to display my annoyance. “Why is he someone famous?” Niggles was silent. “Yeah. He’s ex-vodka.” Today I have a very special guest, a member a long time member of the renowned wow guild, Vodka. For those of you who don’t know Vodka is one of the top US guilds and previously one of the top world guilds for end game PvE content. So without further ado: Me: Let’s start with the basics. Who are you? Niggles: Niggles 😮 Oh, a real answer? Okay. I’m an ex-vodka member Veiled to be exact. Me: So why did you pick sage? Niggles: I wanted to have a class that could heal and put…
Some Useful PVP/Warzone Stats/Info
Do you love PvP in SWTOR? Are you into warzones or just wanting to learn more about them? Whether you’ve reached the level cap yet or not, PvP can be fun in SWTOR. Warzones can break the monotony of leveling or give you something to do at level 50. It’s also a way to build gear for yourself. If you want to learn a little more about the warzones, there is a useful resource you need to bookmark. Dulfy’s Healing Corner has some very useful warzone information and statistics for SWTOR. I love charts, stats and graphs so this is right up my alley. It covers gear, expertise and PvP bonuses, warzone medals, valor and amount needed for next level, resolve system details and so much more. It’s one of the most complete SWTOR PvP resources I’ve seen so far. For example, here are medals that you can…
PSA: Macro keyboard/Mouse are NOT Allowed
An interesting post on Reddit claims that macro keyboards and mouse combos (like the SWTOR branded peripherals) are not allowed in the game. This is a topic we’ve written about here before. We’ve all been told that BioWare will not allow in-game macros for SWTOR. And yet, they are endorsing these SWTOR themed peripherals (at a very high price tag) that allow macroing. So the argument can be made about why can someone with these types of peripherals use macros but regular players cannot? He posts this as a response he claims to have gotten from a BioWare customer service member: Greetings Xxxxxx, I am Protocol Droid U3-L0 of Human-Cyborg Relations… I have received your transmission regarding your query about the Swtor gaming keyboard and mouse by Razer. All of us here on the Star Wars: The Old Republic team would like to thank you for your support, and let…
TOR TV: Ode to Corso Riggs
Corso Riggs… do you love to hate him? Then you will absolutely love this song, “Ode to Riggs”. Fcroaonlk has created this fantastic song that will give you a lot of laughs. The song is divided into some of his main issues with Corso. The song download link will be available at 1000 views so check it out and share it with your friends, too. It was originally inspired by Suzume_Bachl’s… interesting post on the SWTOR forums. Here are some fun facts about the song: 1) I’m wearing a Yoda shirt that says, “Trust me, a Jedi I am”. 2) This was created with FL Studio, an H4n microphone, iMovie, fraps, and a smart-phone video camera. 3) I have exported this video about… 10-12 times since (a) my computer can’t handle the large video files, so I can’t actually watch it unless I export it and (b) I was working…
SWTOR Endgame Gearing Guide for Empire Players
One of the biggest questions gamers have when they reach level 50- the maximum level- is what to do next. How do you get geared up? What is there to do in endgame? SWTOR is still a new game so there is not a lot of advice or “common knowledge” in the gaming community yet about what to do. In fact, many players are leveling to the cap and then stopping because they don’t know what to do next or there are not enough people playing to do anything with. But you can bet that as the game has been out longer and more and more players get into it and reach the level cap, there will be more gamers to play with. So you can start right now getting geared up so you’re ready to go and you will be a few steps ahead of others, giving you an…
SWTOR Explorer’s Guide Review
If you’re looking for an additional bonus to help you enjoy SWTOR a little more, consider picking up a copy of Prima’s Star Wars: The Old Republic Explorer’s Guide. This official Prima guide for SWTOR has many amazing features and benefits to this guide but before you buy a copy, it’s important to know what you’re doing and what you’re getting when you buy it. First one, this is not a leveling guide. It will not tell you where to go to quest or how to quest. It’s not necessarily going to help you level faster. Instead, it’s an atlas for SWTOR full of class-specific tips, detailed maps in full color and descriptions of each location. Some of the benefits of this Explorer’s Guide includes: Summaries of the classes and specializations with detailed descriptions of the class and the character creation menu. Beautiful color maps of every area within the…
Did SWTOR Fall Short of Expectations?
Since the release of SWTOR in December, we have brought you news, reviews, updates, funnies and everything else we can find SWTOR related. Most of our readers are fans of the game or fans of Star Wars. However, we would not be fair and unbiased if we only brought you news of the good stuff. There are some fans and gamers who feel let down by SWTOR. In some ways, I have to agree with the points they make. While I still play the game and intend to keep playing, there are some areas of the game that I am disappointed in. I feel like BioWare made some pretty big promises that were hard to back up. The Picky Geek has some reasons why they think SWTOR fell short as well: The bugs – “From graphical quirks to game breaking glitches, SWTOR’s seen them all. While every game has bugs,…
Former SWTOR Devs Introduce “The Banner Saga”
Star Wars: The Old Republic is easily considered one of the biggest games of the year. It has yet to make its debut in Australia and already we’re hearing about it all over the world. Those of you who have been following for some time now know that it is a game that has been many years in the making. Some of the people who were involved in the early days of developing SWTOR have now moved on to other projects. Three of these devs in particular, are now introducing a new project called “The Banner Saga”. Games.on.net brings us the news about this new game: Under the new studio of Stoic Games, the talented trio have created what their website calls a “role-playing meets turn-based strategy, wrapped into an adventure mini-series about Vikings.” I am sold already a billion times, especially when I saw the bits about “pain-staking hand…
Are Online Games Destroying Marriages?
An article on US News, just in time for Valentine’s Day, reminds us that doing things too much without your spouse could put a strain on the marriage. Whoda thunkit? MMORPG giant WoW was singled out in the piece but other MMOs were named the culprit as well. The article covers a study done on 349 couples where at least one spouse games online. According to US News, “The results confirmed what Neil Lundberg, one of the study’s authors, already suspected: “Gaming widows,” spouses who lose the attention of their significant other to gaming, aren’t happy with their marriages.” Fill in the word “gaming” in that sentence with anything else and you get the same result- gambling, cheating, eating, watching football, picking their nose… Not spending time with your spouse = a strained marriage. Gaming is just the scapegoat once again in another poor study that makes video games the…
Guild Summit Update and Your Chance to Ask Questions!
Attention SWTOR guild leaders: Did you get an email about your application to the Austin guild summit? All emails have now been sent out so if you applied and were chosen, you would have gotten the notice and the window has now passed to accept the invitation. For those guilds who did not reply in the 48 hour window, or those who were unable to go, BioWare will now turn to the backup guilds that were on the waitlist. So your chance to get in is still there. David Bass updates on the forums: All emails have now been sent out. Please check your inboxes if you applied for the Guild Summit, and email guilds@swtor.com if you do not receive an email within the next hour or so. For those who have been put on the waitlist, we’ll contact you sometime within the next week if a space opens up…
Kinect Star Wars – Girly Vader
What do you get when you cross a badass little girl with the scene in Star Wars where Vader first reveals his Force Choke power? You get one awesome commercial for the Xbox Kinect, that’s what… especially when she finds your lack of faith disturbing. Harnessing the controller-free power of Kinect, the game allows fans to physically experience Jedi training, using the Force and battling with a lightsaber. Using full body motions, players can live out the ultimate Star Wars fantasy. Gold bikini optional.
Reddit User Says: “I’ve silenced C2-N2 and You Can Too”
Who else is tired of hearing C2-N2? If this droid is driving you nuts like so many others players, then there might be a solution short of decommissioning him. Remember this video we brought you the other day, “SWTOR Horror”? Well, you don’t have to end like the player in the video. There is another option and it’s a pretty simple fix. This Reddit user explains: All you have to do is replace this file with an empty file by the same name. · swtor_en-us_cnv_comp_chars_rep_1.tor · (swtor_en-us_cnv_comp_chars_imp_1.tor if you’re an imp) It appears the above file contains all the voice acting done by your companions based on your location. Like when you leave the base on hoth your companion says, “Hoth, it’s so damn cold blah blah blah blah blah” It was cool while leveling, it’s annoying now. It also has the chatter from c2-n2 every time you run past…
SWTOR Shirts- Finally!
Ok, so I now know what I want for my birthday. Star Wars: The Old Republic shirts are available over on Jinx and I have to say, I really love the designs. There are simple “Light side” and “Dark side” designs as well as some really awesome class designs for each of the classes in the game. Shirts are available for men and woman and in a variety of sizes. Prices are decent with the men’s running $19.99-$22.99 and the women’s are $21.99-$22.99. Each t-shirt design is done on a solid black background, allowing the colors and design to show more clearly. I’m a huge fan of the classic black tee so I really love that they chose this for the base on every t-shirt. Each t-shirt design also has a fun description in theme to the class or design that it sports. It’s fun to click through them and…
SWTOR Community Q&A February 17th
It’s that time of the week again- time for the SWTOR Community Q&A. I think this is going to grow into a fun and interesting weekly event. BioWare staff planned to answer 10 questions in this week’s Q&A but actually managed to get in the answers to 12. They have also openedup an officialthread for next week’s Q&A, which will stay open until 2pm CST onFebruary 21st (8pm GMT/9pm CET). So here’s a snippet of what this week’s Q&A covered: DarthBelkar:Can we look forward to server-wide special seasonal / short-term events? DanielErickson: Yes! Expect them to fit into the world andsetting, involve a fair bit of discovery, and offer special rewards that willbe there one day and then gone forever. And expect them soon. Darthinfimus: Doyou plan to implement a /roll or /random command for use in master lootersituations? DamionSchubert: Diceslingers of the world rejoice! /roll hasalready been implemented on our internal development…