This was not In the prequels. It might actually be older then the internet itself. It’s still funny as hell though. On Dasher, on Dancer, On Prancer and Vixen, on Comet and Cupid, On Donner, and Blitzen.
Friday Update: Three New Biographies Added to HoloNet
Today’s Friday update for Star Wars: The Old Republic, BioWare has added new information on three notable characters to the Biographies section of the HoloNet. Here are the details: In these new holorecords, you’ll learn about Supreme Chancellor Janarus, stalwart protector of Republic ideals and source of hope for its people. Opposite Janarus, hidden in the shadows, you’ll discover the enigmatic puppeteer of Imperial Intelligence, Darth Jadus. Elsewhere in the galaxy, the cold-blooded bounty hunter Jewl’a Nightbringer ruthlessly hunts down slavers, gangs, and crime lords who manage to catch her attention. Some might remember Jewl’a Nightbringer from the one of the first gameplay walkthrough videos BioWare released. She was one of the bounty hunters that the NPC Mako identified as a winner of the Great Hunt – A bounty hunter thing. Another interesting thing about this update is the Aurebesh Translation’s. You can read more about them over at…
Star Wars on Blu-ray!
Darth Vader announced the release of the Star Wars Saga on Blu-ray. This announcement was a lavish event held at the Panasonic Booth at CES. Not only did Darth Vader show up with his “friends,” but major representatives from 20th Century Fox and Amazon.com were on hand. Check out the press release below: LAS VEGAS (Jan. 6, 2011) – The most anticipated Blu-ray release ever – the Star Wars Saga – emerges from light speed this September 2011. For the first time, all six of George Lucas’ epic films (Episodes I-VI) are united in one complete set. Fans worldwide are able to pre-order now with online retailers. Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment will release Star Wars in three distinct sets to meet the needs of every Star Wars fan: Star Wars: The Complete Saga on Blu-ray (9-disc Set includes all six films) Star Wars: Prequel Blu-ray Trilogy (3-disc set includes…
First Person Experience
Writer Nick Kolan from IGN received some solid gaming time playing Star Wars: The Old Republic during the recent “Jedi Immersion Day. His first experience was playing the Sith Inquisitor class at last years E3 but wasn’t given the time that is needed for such an involving game, but luckily he was able to play a second time as the Jedi Consular the exact opposite of the previous class with much more time. He experience an array of Force attacks that the Jedi is equipped with as well as he noticed that the Force Points regenerate with out the need of Mana potions. As a fellow gamer he barked upon some kill and gather quests that for him didn’t seem to bother him at all which in other games are known to be quite the chore. “My experience with the Consular was ultimately far more positive than my brief time…
WoW Killer or WoW Failure?
Is there room for 2 incredibly powerful MMO’s on the market, can Star Wars: The old republic out shine World of Warcraft where every other MMO has failed to be #1? Maybe… It might be too late though, with WoW already being as big as it is. But we’ve seen game play after game play in anticipation for Sw:Tor to shine brightly in our hands making us the rulers of our own destiny with a lightsaber or Two. If Tor cannot succeed in drawing you in as promised with it’s epic story telling than we might see millions of dollars and hours just thrown away, but I’ve always had faith in the Bioware franchise ever since Balder’s Gate pretty much the only thing I do have faith in. “So where does that leave EA and BioWare Austin? Possibly up a creek given how much money has reportedly been poured into…
Damion Schubert talks game narrative in this month Game Developer Magazine
In the latest edition of Game Developer Magazine, Damion Schubert, Lead Systems Designer for Star Wars: The Old Republic, is once again discussing game narrative. As we all know this is one of the key issues in SWTOR – the fifth pillar as they call it. Here is a short excerpt: The deepest backstories in games come from licenced ones. ARKHAM ASYLUM and FORCE: UNLEASHED have decades of material to draw from and, in both cases, designers worked hard to ensure that they drew on commonly recognized elements recognized by casual fans as well as Easter eggs to cater to the hardcore. In a licensed project, perhaps no application of story is more important, and when reviwers state ARKHAM ASYLUM really brings Batman’s world to life, or that FORCE UNLEASHED captures the far reaches of the Star Wars universe, you have a good understanding why these games succeeded. Schubert goes on to look…
Deceived signed ARC giveaway
Author of the upcoming novel Deceived – Paul S. Kemp, is giving away three autographed copies of is book: I have three bound advance reader copies of my forthcoming Star Wars novel, Star Wars: The Old Republic: Deceived. I want to sign them and give them away. I will pick three recipients at random from all of those who leave a comment to this blog entry, whether at paulskemp.com or at the mirrored entry on my livejournal. Please use your name or a distinct username and enter only once. You do not need to register for anything to leave a comment (anon comments are enabled). I will announce the three winners on January 24, at which time they will need to send me an email with their mailing address and any personalization instructions. You can read excerpts from the book by clicking here. And, because one can never see this enough, here…
Gamebreaker SWTOR Video Blog #22
We haven’t followed the republic podcast for a while. Mainly becourse it haven’t been that intereseting. But this week, the guys discussed the trooper class — My favorite! This one is a long one though so we have posted a short summary below the video. Basically the podcast could be broken down as: Trooper video analysis: They dislike the female trooper, the guy with glasses wants his trooper to be a bulky bad ass. Also they enjoy the grenade shot by the Trooper that knocks back the force leap. Secondly they discuss what “modular shield” means in reference to the Trooper’s ship. They decide it either means interchangeable shields or damage would effect parts of the shield separately. Recreation Center: They discuss what a recreation center on the space ships likely means and if they think it’s cool. They guy with the bandana thinks a gym where you could workout would be cool,…
Suckadelic Action Figures
We like a show with a bit of humor. A show with the tagline “You’re An Asshole For Buying This,” as is the tag for The SUCKADELIC Art Toy Universe, is said exhibition. Next Tuesday, January 11, Boo-Hooray Gallery in NYC will host Suckadelic’s “Intentionally confusing, misleading, disappointing and really funny, limited-edition parodies of action figures.” The work presented in this exhibit is a documentation of the artist struggle to reach the top of a sinister pyramid scheme; A culture-jacking enterprise where ruthless-yet-compelling super-criminals compete for the imaginations of fickle consumers and a relentless media machine. I can’t wait to get my hands on Anus Head. He’ll look great next to my Gay Storm Trooper
SWTOR voted Most Anticipated MMORPG for 2011/2012 by Massively’s readers
Massively have released the Player’s Choice poll results for both 2010 and the entire last decade in MMOs. Not surprisingly the most anticipated mmorpg for 2011/2012 is Star Wars: The old republic in a close race with Guild wars 2. Source More surprisingly we see Star Trek online voted the best launch, best crafting, best pvp, best capacity for Role playing in a 2010 MMO and best overall new mmo of 2010. Source I’m not usually critical, but I have a REALLY hard time believing that STO is deserving of such positions in poll results. PvP and “Surprise Hit”? The best crafting in a 2010 MMO is handing mats to an NPC to buy the crafted item? It was also really surprising that Blizzard was voted both the best and almost the worst MMO studio of the decade: Source Source Blizzard may be many things, but they’re not the worst MMO Studio of the Decade. The results ended up like this:…
Podcast Results & Sorrowful Apologies
TOROCAST IS YOUR WINNER!!!! Darth Hater came in a close second with The Republic snatching up third place. There seems to be some misunderstandings with the voting procedures. New Years affected us all the next couple of days, MrWarlock the UK blogger of SWTOR believed that their was a voting travesty, but things are now squared away. Let him explain the details personally. http://swtor-uk.blogspot.com/2011/01/burn-witch.html
Harry Plinket has delivered! Revenge of the Sith review
Mr. Plinkett wraps up his video Star Wars prequels reviews with an epic Revenge of the Sith dissection! PART 1: PART 2: PART 3: He was actually dead wrong on the fact that the Millineum Falcon wasn’t in the prequels. Its right down at the bottom of the frame. I Think I am going to email him and demand two pizza rolls.
Know your lore: Vrook Lamar
Vrook Lamar was a male Human Jedi Master who fought during the Great Sith War. He served the Jedi Order on both the Jedi High Council and the Dantooine Enclave Council during the Great Hunt, the Mandalorian Wars, and the Jedi Civil War. During his tenure as a Jedi Master he was generally characterized by his brusque manner, stern demeanor, cautious disposition, and suspicious nature. He had high expectations for his Jedi students and a healthy dislike for any subject that touched upon the dark side of the Force. Vrook was voiced by Ed Asner in Knights of the Old Republic and Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords. As Vrook wielded a green lightsaber, he is identified as a possible Jedi Consular before he became a Master, if the lightsaber color-to-specialization mapping from the first KotOR game is considered canonical. In Knights of the Old Republic II:…
Happy New Year!
From all of us here at swtorstrategies we wish you and your family a safe and Happy New Year. May the Force be with you in 2011!
Friday update: Dev Blog Discusses Cinematic Design
For its final Friday update of the year, BioWare has posted a blog entry by Lead Cinematic Designer Paul Marino that explains how a scene is designed and directed in Star Wars: The Old Republic. Here’s his explanation of what his team does for the game: “To put it simply, Cinematic Design is using cinematic presentation to facilitate narrative and gameplay, and heighten emotional involvement. By the use of a directed camera, we’re able to make the story real to the player, allowing them to get involved with the characters and make meaningful choices.” Marino’s job as cinematic designer is to direct the game’s cutscenes, allowing the game’s writing and characters to shine. To see how well the developers have injected some humor and atmosphere into run-of-the-mill quests, have a look at these two videos, recently released on The Old Republic‘s blog:
10.000 Nerf Herders!
To quote Lando “yeeee haaa. We are deeply honored that so many people have chosen to subscribe to our Facebook page. When I first started this blog two years ago, I had no idea that it will become so popular. Back then 10 people stopping by was a huge thing. Today we get more than 130.000 hits a month – Not bad for a fan blog covering a game that is not even out yet. When a simple blog like this grows so much, it gives some good ideas on how huge this game has the potential to become. It puts on an enormous pressure on the developers, but if anyone can live up to this, it’s Bioware. No other gaming company has delivered quality in a way that Bioware have done. Mix that with the biggest IP in the world and the deep pockets of EA, and I am confident that Star Wars: The old republic will be one of the biggest games…
While we wait for The Old Republic: Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode III
We love “Robot Chicken!” The stop motion animated series always delivers clever pop culture commentary and does some of the best parodies this side of The Cartoon Network. Like “Family Guy,” they’re known for their amazing Star Wars homages and on Sunday night the latest installment in their parody series aired, aptly titled, “Robot Chicken: Star Wars: Episode III.” There were so many awesome moments to choose from, so instead of giving you a clip, we give you the whole movie: Spoiler Alert: Jango Fett is Boba Fett’s father. For EU Viewers: US viewers can see it here Did anyone else notice that the man who suggested that Palpatine enter politics was going to kill himself with a classic style Star Trek phaser and that he was holding it backward. Adult Swim must have some primo dirt on George Lucas for him to OK that thing. It didn’t suck, but…
Podcast of the year
Now is the time for you guys to vote and to see who’s podcast is the popular choice amongst our kind. The two with the most votes are TorCast and DarthHater with TorCast taking a slight lead. We can all appreciate the great importance and entertainment that TOR related podcasts have given us along the way. I would like to thank all of these dedicated people who have single handily kept me sane, in what seems a never ending run up to the release of SWTOR. Now its you chance to vote for you favorite podcast of the year. It does not have to be the longest running, or the most informed. It just could boil down to which kept you most entertained over that past year. For those that are unaware of these sites, check below for links. Darth Hater ToroCast The Galactic Holofeed The Jedi Archive The TOR…
How Stuff Works: The Star Forge
The Star Forge was a dark side artifact that was created by the Infinite Empire of the Rakata in 30,000 BBY, five thousand years before the rise of the Galactic Republic. A giant automated shipyard, the Star Forge drew energy, heat, and matter from a nearby star which, when combined with the power of the dark side, was capable of creating an endless supply of ships, droids, and other war material. It was constructed through the use of slaves from many subject worlds including, but not necessarily limited to, Corellia, Coruscant, Dantooine, Drall, Duro, Kashyyyk, Korriban, Manaan, Selonia, Sleheyron, Tatooine, and Ziost. It fed on the Force, drawing particularly from the cruel Rakata, corrupting it into an artifact of the dark side, and often times its user as well, which is why Darth Revan limited his contact with the Star Forge, lest it control him as it did the Rakata….
The Old Republic vs. Knights of the Old Republic 3
The first Knights of the Old Republic game in 2003 was, as a few people may already know, the first thing that really got me into Star Wars; to this day I still remember the amazed feeling of awe I had when I first set foot on Taris and looked at the beautiful city landscape, the shining sun in the game adding to the mood of the setting. The feeling was really cinched when I reached the ultimate twist in the game; that you are in fact Darth Revan, the apparently dead Sith Lord who was betrayed by his (or her) Apprentice, Darth Malak. There’s never been anything that’s really been able to replicate the epicness of this game – even the sequel, penned by game company Obsidian, wasn’t quite as good. I’m one of the few people who thought that The Sith Lords was actually a great game; sure,…
Know your Lore: Ajunta Pall
Ajunta Pall was a Dark Jedi, and later one of the first Sith Lords following the Hundred Year Darkness. His spirit was redeemed by the Jedi Knight Revan during the Jedi Civil War. Ajunta Pall’s tomb is one of the side-quests available in the Korriban segment of the video game Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. In the game, he recognizes the player character’s true identity. The main character can either help him become one with the Force (for “light-side points”), fight him and destroy his spirit (for “dark-side points”), or fail to take him to the light and let his spirit fade away. The statue of Ajunta Pall seen in his tomb is identical with the one seen in the destroyed Jedi Enclave on Dantooine in Knights of the Old Republic II, which could mean that Ajunta Pall was once a highly respected Jedi Master; however, this has…
Robot Chicken Star Wars Episode III – Force Unleashed Sketch
Starwars.com has posted a pretty funny Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode III video promoting the release of The Force Unleashed II. The video has only been available at the official Star Wars site here, but doing xmas, it has found it’s way to youtube. As the shift change on the Death Star passes, Stormtroopers head back to the barracks and others head out to their posts. Their one stop in common is the Imperial Cafeteria. Here, one lone coffee maker sits. Empty. Used. Un-refilled. Destined to serve millions of cups of coffee a day across the space station, the promise of the device remains unfulfilled. And Vader is not a morning person.
Friday update: Trooper’s Unstoppable Force
This friday sends love to the Trooper. Ready as always the Troopers are willing to put the Sith on their @$$. The Trooper’s Advance Classes will allow you to cause massive damage as Vanguard or Commando. Play as the Defensive Vanguard, nothing will move these soldiers back, they will throw everything on the line to keep their position from the enemy. Or as the Crazy Commando, The Sith will run from the very sight as this Tank will mow down their defenses. Either way you can’t go wrong. See more details about the Explosive Ex-Military Tanno Vik, how Zabraks are known for their loyalty to the Republic, and how each Trooper are given a high-powered Rendili Hyperworks BT-7 Thunderclap, a heavily-armored starship powerhouse upgraded with state-of-the-art tech requisitioned by Republic Special Forces. If you don’t believe me, watch the Trooper video again. You can now read all about the…
While we wait : What to do with a real Lightsaber
What to know if you and your friends were given real lightsabers? Think no more, from FANBOYSPRODUCTIONS.COM is: Three in the Afternoon Six In The Morning (Part 1) Six in the Morning (Part 2) To Be Continued… Check out the site for the next installment By FANBOYSPRODUCTIONS.COM