One of the most anticipated novels for SWTOR fans this year must be the Revan by Drew Karpyshyn. The books will be out later this year and should give some answers to what happened to one of the all time biggest force users. If you are like me must have been wondering what has happen to the guys, but also how strong his force powers actually is. In Drew Karpyshyn latest blog posts he addresses this issue. Apparently a book about me playing video games – being the ultimate pownzor – won’t work in books. Karpyshyn states that video games and novels works in different ways and “are meant to convey different experiences and the two representations of the character simply cannot be laid on top of each other.” – witch is kind off dull really, and might be the main reason why I play way more videos games then read books. To…
Gamasutra interviews the BioWare Doctors
Gamasutra has just released yet another excellent interview with the founding fathers of BioWare Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk. This time the doctors describes why they believe why Star Wars: The old republic stands out from other MMORPGs, in addition to talks about Dragon Age and Mass Effect. It’s a rather lengthy Q&A spreading over four pages, but well worth the read for BioWare and SWTOR fans. There are a lot of experienced people that have worked on MMOs in the past working on The Old Republic, but it’s just hard to imagine how incredibly difficult it could be for a company that hasn’t released an MMO yet to support an MMO. I think players trust the design choices that BioWare is going to make, and innovations in that area, but the support for a game like that — a game as a service — how are you guys approaching…
The Guild Sphere: KAempire
This week I sat down with Keyaindis and Semyaza from KAempire, a newer Sith guild looking to master all aspects of of Star Wars: The Old Republic. Where did your guilds name come from? When we (Keyaindis and Semyaza) first looked at SWTOR we instantly wanted to create a guild, at the time the movie Kick Ass was on, and the idea just popped up. Can you give me a quick 2-3 sentance description of your guild? After spending the last 5 years playing in guilds in World of Warcraft that have failed to meet the standards of a “decent” guild (not implying that all guilds in wow were a failure just the ones we’ve seen), we feel that KAempire should be entertaining and maintain a balance of gameplay, as well as organization of events which was a re-occurring problem in wow. We also feel that the pressure of having…
Facebook Image Of The Week #13
BioWare updated their facebook page with a new screenshot of Star Wars: The old Republic. This time the description is: The Senate Tower on Coruscant, with its beautiful architecture, provides a sometimes contrasting background to the political maneuverings that take place within it.
Star Wars: The Old Republic – Will it Survive through the Hype?
There has been much debate about how SWTOR will stack up to other MMO’s, especially Blizzard’s World of Warcraft. The debate isn’t just about how it will measure up but if SWTOR should even be considered an MMO in the first place. With a supposed completely character-driven storyline how can it be an MMO? David Radd reports that these issues are both good and bad. MMORPGs generally have less story-driven content and more gear, co-operation and gold driven content. SWTOR has set to change that completely but it might come at the price of player numbers. Your average MMO player right now is used to going out and doing X thing to gain Y item. They’re under no illusion that their actions will actually make a difference in the grand scheme of things. Most MMO gamers are used to doing simplistic tasks to get what they want. So if SWTOR…
Species of Starwars – Mon Calamari
An amphibious species with fishlike faces and huge eyes, the Mon Calamari are among the galaxy’s most peaceful and intelligent beings. They are a colorful species, with skin tones ranging the full spectrum of known hues. Many Mon Cal are also marked by vibrant spots or stripes. The Mon Calamari are native to a watery world of the same name. They can survive underwater for long periods of time and are powerful swimmers. The Mon Cal are also psychologically attuned to their environment. When visiting wet, cool planets they become very energetic and cheerful; in contrast, they may be quite depressed and languid on hot, dry worlds. The idealistic Mon Cal enjoy a progressive society that promotes the values of justice and peace. They are tireless explorers, but seek out other planets for knowledge rather than conquest. As individuals, they may seem soft-spoken, gentle, determined, and generous. They control their…
All 106 Star Wars Books to Go e-Book Format
If you’re ready to get your Star Wars fix in an electronic book format, then you are in luck! Random House and Lucasfilm recently released the news that all Star Wars books will now be released as e-books. There are currently 30 Star Wars titles available via e-book. However, beginning June 28, all 106 will be available for download. Now it will be easier than ever to keep your Star Wars reading collection in one place. You can enjoy them on the go on your favorite e-reader and of course, you can also store them on your personal computer. It’s never been so easy to ready- and enjoy doing it! The Star Wars series of books have been so popular that not a single one has gone out of print in the 30 years since the first one was published. The books have been published under the Bantam…
How Stuff Works: Blasters
Much of the following technical info is taken directly from Del Rey publisher’s “Essential Guide” series, and I highly recommend them to any fan looking for more. BlastersA blaster was a ranged weapon that fired bursts of particle beam energy called blaster bolts from a replaceable power cell. The most commonly used weapon in the galaxy, blasters’ intense beams consisting of compacted high-energy particles and intense light could kill or paralyze their target, depending on their setting. Blasters ranged from compact pistols, all the way up to large, heavy rifles and starship-mounted blaster cannons. The oldest known type of blaster was used by an ancient droid of an unknown model employed by the Rakatan Infinite Empire. This weapon was considered to be extremely up-to-date compared to the blasters of the year 3,956 BBY. Technical informationThe term blaster was often used interchangeably with the term laser in everyday conversation, both denoting…
The Guild Sphere: Raze
This week I sat down with the leadership from Raze, a Hardcore PvP that enjoy’s PvE, crafting and many many other aspects of the game, I hope you all enjoy the interview. Where did your guilds name come from? The name “Raze” originates from an old Vanguard pre-release Hardcore PvP guild. We were very involved in its community and loved what the guild stood for. But, unfortunately Vanguard crapped out, and the guild fell apart, aside from ourselves. So, when we finally figured, “hey what the heck, let’s make a Star Wars: The Old Republic guild”, Raze would be the perfect name, and we would pick up off the guild’s old values, with a few tweaks of course. The word Raze, if defined, means to tear down, which is kinda fitting for a hardcore guild, right? Can you give me a quick 2-3 sentence description of your guild? Raze is…
SW:TOR Meet and Greet in Los Angeles during E3
David Bass, Senior Community Coordinator posts on the official forums about the “meet and greet” for SWTOR fans in LA: Hi everyone, Since E3 isn’t open to the public, we’re considering holding a meet and greet in Los Angeles during the expo so that fans who are in the LA area can meet up with us one night and chat with the developers. Unfortunately, we wouldn’t be able to have the game playable at this meet and greet, but you’d get a chance to chat with those of us who’ll be at the show, and hear about some of the cool things that are happening inside E3. We’d like to get a better idea of the size of group we’re looking at for an event like this, though. If you’d be interested in coming downtown one night between June 6-9 to meet up with the SW:TOR team, let us know…
Danish Shops are starting to promote SWTOR
It pays to preorder SWTOR, at least if you order from certain Danish shops. This neat little find shows that many countries are already promoting pre-orders of Star Wars: The Old Republic. The sign says: “Order now – it pays off” “Double bonus points if you pre order” The Bonus points are a point system the shop has. You can trade the bonus points to discounts on games. (As if we needed more motivation to buy SWTOR!) Most video game stores and shops around the globe have similar deals and discounts in the works. There’s no word yet on whether or not BioWare will be offering special deals or discounts to Other gaming sites around the globe have had preorder deals up for as long back as 2010. play.com says : Star Wars: The Old Republic £29.99 Free Delivery Pre-order. | Due for release on 28 Oct 2011 (later changed…
Know your Lore: Noab Hulis
Noab Hulis was a Jedi Master prior to the Great Sith War. He was the father of Krynda Hulis, later known as Krynda Draay, and her two sisters, as well as the husband of a Human female. Noab Hulis was first mentioned in the Tales of the Jedi Companion, published in 1996 and written by George R. Strayton. Twelve years later, the character made his first appearance, in flashbacks of the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic comic series issue Vindication, Part 2. He was also rendered for the first time, by Bong Dazo. In the issue, Hulis is shown to cover his useless Miralukan eyes, whereas in the Tales of the Jedi Companion, he is said to leave them exposed. Biography Noab Hulis was a male Miraluka who served the Jedi Order. In time, he sired two daughters, both of whom entered the Jedi Order, and then a…
IGN editors flashpoint recap
If you’re wondering what the flashpoints are going to be like in SW:TOR, two IGN editors set out to give us a recap. As we know, all great MMOs need group content and flashpoints are one way that SWTOR will bring that to the players. There have been a few early impressions about the flashpoints already but no one can tell exactly what these instances will be like until they have tried them for themselves. Two IGN editors give us an honest, inside look at the world of Flashpoints that’s fun to read and revealing at the same time. IGN Editors Dana Jongewaard and Nick Kolan spend some time in the first Imperial player Flashpoint encounter and they write about it in a 1200-word article on their site. Here are some highlights: Nick: The first thing that sticks out to me is how the flashpoint began. We’re in this big…
SWTOR Beta Sneak peek
A long sneak peek from the beta has just been published. A lot of the video is normal questing with some strange breaks where the player stands still for awhile and you see in the chat box that the Ambiance is turning On and Off multiple times. Animations and graphics look great. Running (which if I remember was previously reported to be clunky?) looks good and the combat is smooth. Some polish needed for some of the quest conversations. Animations and set pieces don’t line up sometimes and it defiantly breaks the immersion. I assume this will be addressed and corrected so don’t hold it against BW.
Sith Inquisitor Class Details Released
Yesterdays update to the Star Wars: The Old Republic site is the full reveal of the Sith Inquisitor class. Sith are not shy about their conquest for power and few pursue that goal as aggressively as the Sith Inquisitor. In this week’s update from BioWare, the Sith Inquisitor shows the limitless power that the Force can offer to those who aggressively pursue it. Check out this week’s new video and update to learn more about the Sith Inquisitor, their ships and the sleeping monster and devourer of Jedi known as Khem Val. Inquisitors, the dark geniuses of the Empire, are masters of treachery and dark Force power. Feared as much on the battlefield as they are by prisoners and political enemies, they will stop at nothing to earn themselves more power. The paths to power are many, though. Is your Inquisitor an Assassin, striking down enemies from the shadows with…
New Facebook Image
BioWare reached an incredible milestone today, as the facebook page for Star Wars: The old Republic reached 300.000 likes. This is very impressing since the game is not even out yet. To celebrate and to show their appreciation, BioWare have posted a new screenshot of a Sith Assassin preparing himself for a fight by readying his double-bladed Lightsaber.
The Guild Sphere: A quick overview
Today on The Guild Sphere, I thought it would be great to do a small over view of all of the guilds we have featured so far. And after putting everything together began to notice we have featured a rather large range of guilds, from PvP-centric Sith, to RP Republic, and I would like to take the time to thank them all again for taking the time to answer my questions. The Republic Knights who say ni The Knights Who Say Ni has been around for a 4 years now; KWSNi is a multi-game guild which includes plenty of experienced gamers. We’re on a mission to recruit new members and play The Old Republic with style. Browncoats “Tell you, we get a mechanic, get her up and runnin’ again, hire a good pilot, maybe a cook. Live like real people. Small crew, them as feel the need to be free,…
Facebook Image Of The Week #12
We have reached the middle day of the week and BioWare have shared another SWTOR ingame screenshot. This time the description goes like this: The Empire has eyes everywhere – secret surveillance stations show up in the most unlikely places. If your not already doing so, you can follow SWTOR on Facebook here. Also please remember to follow our own little page here.
The Next 12 Months is Super Important to EA
The next 12 months will prove to be very important to Electronic Arts (EA). While they had many things to be happy about in their recent company earnings call, they will also be held accountable over the next year to many predictions and investments. Gamasutra reports that the next 12 months could make or break EA. There are a lot of things working in the favor of EA but it’s too soon to start celebrating victories. While their revenues and earnings per share were higher than expected, and they reported a shift to a more aggressive stance at several fronts, there is still room for things to go wrong over the next fiscal year. CEO John Riccitiello said, “We’re shifting to offense and running plays no other company can,” which is a big promise they have to hope they can hold up to. They are going in…
New Comic – Star Wars: The Old Republic The Lost Suns
Dark Horse Comics has a new Star Wars: The Old Republic comic, The Lost Suns, coming out June 8, 2011. Alexander Freed plugged it on the SWTOR forums recently: (If you’re curious, you can get a peak inside the SIS in the upcoming Star Wars: The Old Republic – The Lost Suns comic, which features a Republic spy as its lead. The SIS isn’t the focus of the story, but it has a role to play. Here ends my plug. ) Alexander Freed, senior writer of SWTOR, is the comic writer as well so we can expect good things from The Lost Sons. Dark Horse says the story, ““…intertwines with the narrative of the game, revealing secrets players will find nowhere else.” That’s exciting news for SWTOR fans and just Star Wars fans in general. Freed explains in his forum posts about the Strategic Information Service (SIS): In SWTOR, the…
Could a Mass Effect MMO top The Old Republic?
Could a Mass Effect MMO beat out TOR when it comes to profits? In a recent investor’s note, Mike Hickey predicted that a hypothetical Mass Effect MMO could make more money for Electronic Arts than Star Wars: The Old Republic will. But is this really shocking news? First, the ME franchise has done really well for EA and there is a historical weakness surrounding Star Wars games, which is part of what Hickey made his predictions based on. This is due in part to the fact that royalties have to be paid on all Lucas Arts titles and themes. Hickey said, “Looking forward, we believe BioWare could develop an MMO based on their highly successful Mass Effect franchise, which should have a considerably better (relative Star Wars MMO) margin profile, given the dilutive nature of the LucasArts royalty.” But of course, there is more that goes into making a great…
The Guild Sphere: It’s A Trap
This week I sat down with another Sith guild, It’s A Trap, a PvE focused guild with some added PvP for some extra fun. Where did your guilds name come from? My love of Admiral Ackbar Can you give me a quick 2-3 sentance description of your guild? We are a casual but progressive guild who hope to have fun and enjoy all the Star Wars Universe has to offer. How did your guild come about? Formed it as soon as we could to start recruiting What kind of play style do you focus on? PvE, PvP, RP? PvE, some PvP if there is interest. What is your guild set up? How do you run your guild? We have a few officers, and a very strict no drama policy How serious do you play and/or run the guild? Casual, but plan to spend a lot of time in-game Do you…
Star Wars Vs. The Royal Wedding
Two huge events happened in the world a couple of weeks back: first off, and most importantly, LucasFilm announced the details of the forthcoming Star Wars complete saga blu-ray release to predictable fanfare (and the even more predictable dissent from some circles). And then there was the piffling matter of the wedding of the UK’s own monarch in waiting Prince William to his commoner beloved Kate Middleton. At one point, as the celebrations neared, and the hysteria that spread across the world reached a crescendo, you couldn’t get moved for garish merchandise, swaths of Union Jacks and all manner of useless tat with the faces of the future King and his bride plastered all over it. So it was only a matter of time until someone brought together the Royal Wedding, and the most famous cross-cultural works of art, like Star Wars for instance. See that? Full circle, almost effortlessly……
Know Your Lore: Tott Doneeta
Tott Doneeta, also known as Tottdon’eeta, was a Twi’lek Jedi Knight who was an apprentice to Master Arca Jeth, together with his Jedi brothers Ulic and Cay Qel-Droma, on Arkania. He assisted in ending the crisis on Iziz and fought in the Great Sith War. He was a competent pilot, and learned to fly one of the Beast Rider’s war beasts. Doneeta was present at both the Jedi Convocation on Exis Station and the Convocation at Mount Meru. Tott Doneeta was also present when his Jedi brother Ulic fell to the Dark Side, and the subsequent action of Nomi Sunrider’s robbing Ulic of the Force. Later, he saved Vima Sunrider by grappling onto her escape pod as it drifted towards a star, due to his delayed arrival at the latter Convocation. Later in life, he attempted to help Cathar Jedi Sylvar free herself from her anger; however, he realized he…
