Live Date: November 11, 2014 Highlights Bounty Contract Week Returns! Hunt wanted criminals in this returning event. The event begins November 11th at 4 AM PST/12:00 GMT and ends November 18th at 4 AM PST/12:00 GMT. General Guild Flagships will no longer vanish into the inky abyss of space, so players will no longer lose access to them. The Pending Mission Reward queue now has a cap of 3 Missions. Players are no longer able to accept Shared Missions when at the Pending Mission Reward cap. Players can no longer queue for Group Finder when they or one of their party members is at the Pending Mission Reward cap. Cartel Market Balanced Combatant’s Bracers no longer clip through the forearms on Male Body Type 3. Missions + NPCs Troopers on Belsavis now receive valuable experience for completing the Mission “Overwhelming Force.””
SWTOR
SWToR remains a challenge after Electronic Arts (EA) releases Quarterly report
Electronic Arts (EA) recently released their regular quarterly report that offered a glimpse on the performance of the mega-company. While overall, EA performed extremely well, a closer look of their released documentation revealed that SWToR didn’t contribute to the company’s overall performance. In specific: Net Revenue For the three months ended September 30, 2014 , net revenue was $990 million and increased $295 million , or 42 percent , as compared to the three months ended September 30, 2013 . This increase was driven by a $476 million increase in revenue primarily from the FIFA and Battlefield franchises, and Titanfall. This increase was partially offset by a $181 million decrease in revenue primarily from the SimCity, Crysis and Dead Space franchises, and Star Wars: The Old Republic . Service and Other Revenue For the three months ended September 30, 2014 , service and other revenue was $454 million , primarily…
Amazon drops prepaid SWToR game card prices by almost 40%
If you’re still on the fence about subscribing to SWToR then now is your chance. Amazon is selling 60-day prepaid game cards for $18.82 vs. the regular $29.99. Subscribing to the game will ensure that you enjoy the full benefits of SWToR as well as making sure that you play the upcoming expansion when that gets released as a subscriber. It’s worth noting, that this offer is only available through the US Amazon website. Typically discounts like these occur in randomly selected time frames so grab your time cards them while they’re available.
Developer Blog: Vanguard and Powertech Changes for Patch 3.0
Bioware certainly didn’t waste time with their updates for Patch 3.0 after announcing the upcoming changes on Commandos and Mercenaries. Today in a new developer blog post, the Austin-based developer offered details on Vanguards and Powertechs. The changes are not as extensive as the classes covered in yesterday’s post but are definitely worth a closer look. Some highlights: Vanguards All Vanguards are getting two additional passive abilities – Blaster Impact and Blaster Augs No drastic changes to vanguard tanking other than the addition of a new ability called ion storm that sprays waves of ionizing energy in a 10-meter cone range Assault specialist is now called Plasmatech and has undergone significant changes Tactics discipline gains two additional abilities – Tactical Surge and Cell Burst Powertechs All Mercs get two additional passive abilities – Puncture and Prototype cylinders No drastic changes have been made to Powertech tanking, but there is a new…
Developer Blog: Trooper and Mercenary changes announced
With Patch 3.0 just around the corner, the flow of information from Bioware is increasing. This time around, through their developer blog, they announced the upcoming changes for Trooper and Mercenary classes. In specific: Changes announced are subject to change Mercenary and Trooper classes will receive the most dramatic changes as compared to all other classes as part of Patch 3.0 Resource costs for troopers/mercenaries have been adjusted – in some cases they have been decreased, while in some others have been increased. Both Trooper and Mercenary classes get additional passive abilities added
Damion Schubert leaves Bioware
SWToR developer Damion Schubert announced on his personal website that he quit his job at Bioware. Schubert has been with Bioware for 8 years and admitted that working and launching SWToR was the highlight of his career. He was also quick to point out that his resignation will have no impact in the development of SWToR and Shadow Realms. Based on his announcement it appears that it was his own decision and he plans to take some time off away from the game development world. While no specific reason was given about his departure, he pointed out that his decision was unrelated to his comments relating to “Gamergate” controversy. Damion Schubert SWToRStrategies.com would like to thank Damion for his contribution to SWToR and wish him the best on his future endeavors. You can read his full announcement right here
Bioware posts stream schedule for upcoming advanced class changes
Bioware’s community manager Eric Musco, was once more at the forums today posting information about upcoming community team streams. With patch 3.0 just around the corner, Eric highlighted some of the topics his team will be covering. In specific: As many of you know, we will be streaming around each individual Advanced Class and the changes coming to their Disciplines in 3.0. We will be starting those streams this week and do one set of base Class mirrors each week for the three weeks thereafter. Here is our currently planned schedule. As always this could change, but here is our plan as of right now! Friday, November 7th – Bounty Hunter and Trooper Thursday, November 13th – Inquisitor and Consular Friday, November 21st – Warrior and Knight Wednesday, November 26th – Agent and Smuggler Thanks everyone! We’ll see you on stream to talk about all of the changes coming to…
Datamined: SWToR Miner livestreams Patch 3.0 Commando and Mercenary changes
You might never heard of his name before but if you’re moderately interested in SWToR, you definitely read about his work in fansites across the web. Recently, SWToR_Miner had some challenges from Bioware and the content he releases about upcoming changes and updates to our favorite game but this isn’t stopping him however from hosting livestream events on Youtube. This time around, he talks about Patch 3.0 commando and mercenary changes that we’re going to see when Shadow of Revan gets released. The livestream is a little bit over 2 hours but definitely gets into the details of Patch 3.0 and specific details of the before-mentioned classes.
TOR TV: Patch 3.0 GUIDE – Combat Systems Changes & UI Improvements (Short Visual Overview)
One of the better known SWToR video bloggers, Vulkk, has posted a segment from Bioware’s official livestream about the upcoming changes of Patch 3.0 (or Shadow Revan expansion). Unlike the last guide he posted on the disciplines system, this time the clip is focused on the combat system changes and user interface improvements. The video is about 13 minutes and offers a pretty good overview of what Bioware has in store for us.
PvP Season 3 rewards announced!
Biowares’s assistant designer Alex Modny took it to the official forums today to announce the rewards for PVP season 3. Judging by the reaction, most SWToR fans were rather pleased by the announcement and the improvement over Season 2. In specific: The culmination of Season 3 is fast approaching and many furious rumbles have yet to be waged. The end of Season 3 will come with Game Update 3.0 and your rating, when the servers come down for the update, will determine which tier you are in and what rewards you receive. The higher your tier the more glorious your rewards! Just like in previous seasons, the Highest Earned rating that determines the tier you are in – not Current – so no need to feel like you are risking Rating by going after the next tier up! To see your Highest Earned Rating, check the Warzone Rating and Stats…
TOR TV: Patch 3.0 guide – Disciplines System Explained
One of the better known SWToR video-bloggers, Vulkk, has put together a very interesting video explaining what fans should expect to see with patch 3.0 and the Disciplines system in specific. The video is a little bit over 13 minutes and provides a great overview of the system and highlights the changes between what currently is in place and what will be available after Shadow of Revan (aka Patch 3.0) becomes available. While Vulkk is using a Sorcerer’s tree to explain the changes, the guide is certainly useful to understand the Disciplines system across all classes.
Developer Blog: Bedtime in Concordia
Bioware released yet another Developer blog today titled “Bedtime in Concordia”. This time around the blog focuses on Shae Vizla‘s story – a Mandalorian who was credited for working with the Sith Empire and helping in storming the Jedi Temple in Coruscant. Shae Vizla Bedtime on Concordia A blazing campfire cast three shadows across the open plain. The longest stretched from the angular form of a man still clad in the armor of his people, the fire’s light stumbling and bouncing across decades of pockmarks and scrapes in the Mandalorian iron’s surfaces. The other shadows’ figures were clad in training gear, their bodies still growing too quickly for proper armor to fit for long. Galron watched his twin daughters over the flames. Tayn and Mari had done well in the day’s hunt, handled their weapons and gear properly, and shown great patience. He would tell their mother that they were growing…
Limited time Cartel Market items are now available
Community manager Eric Musco was once more at the official SWToR forums providing updates about upcoming content releases. In this case, Mr.Musco provided a quick update on some cartel market items that are going to be available for a limited time only. In specific: I wanted to let you know about some new items coming to Cartel Market later today. These are each of the items and their Cartel Coin price. Note that these items are only available for a limited time and will come off of the Market on 11/4. Walkhar Trickster – 1800 CC Ghostly Magus Armor Set – 1000 CC Ethereal Rakling (Minipet) – 140 CC Phantasmal Rakling (Minipet) – 140 CC Statue of the Agonized (Decoration) – 150 CC Thranta Trophy (Decoration) – 130 CC Infected Tree (Decoration) – 120 CC Returning Item! TRK-R Treatment Chamber – 1200 CC While no date was provided as to…
TOR TV: Starfleet Dental – Pop Muzik
I admit that this video isn’t recent but it’s definitely one of the better made SWToR fan videos that deserves some extra attention. It’s titled Pop Muzik and it was originally released back at launch when the game (and the hype) were flying high. “Pop Muzik” is probably the fastest and most musical way to experience all SWToR locations in a short period of time.
SWToR revenue surpasses $100 million for 2014
Superdata research released yet another report looking at the most popular Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) games. In the past, the same firm had published information relating to the top 10 PC games by free-to-play earnings for 2013 which set SWToR at no.8 with $139 million right behind World Of Warcraft with $213 million. This report, in addition to others, signaled a come-back for Bioware’s first attempt at MMOs and was source of excitement for fans of the game. SuperData’s research data for 2013 The latest report released covers January to September 2014 and looks at the top 10 MMOs by revenue for the year. While SWToR didn’t make the top 10, it still remains at a respectable no.12 with $106 million in revenue, right behind Elder Scrolls Online with $111 Million. Keeping in mind that Shadow of Revan is yet to be released, one would expect to see a significant increase over the last 3 months of the…
Community Stream updates fans on in-game commendations changes
Bioware shared some additional details on upcoming commendation changes during the regularly scheduled Community stream. The SWToR ommunity team made up by Eric Musco, Courtney Woods and Hillary Nicole shared information about what’s going to happen to in-game commendations after Shadow of Revan goes live. In detail: Ultimate and elite commendations are staying the same: While Musco admitted this is subject to change, he reassured that fans won’t lose any commendations either ways. Earning commendations: Some slight changes will occur impacting how fast you can earn the before-mentioned commendations. More details will be released next week. Three types of commendations become one: Every other type of commendation (excluding warzone) – classic, basic and planetary will be collapsed into a single type of commendation called basic. As mentioned above, Musco was quick to point out that these changes are not confirmed and could change as a result of testing before Shadow of Revan goes live….
Bioware teases with details about “Shadow of Revan”, new playable race, solo Flash points and more!
Massively, Hyperspace beacon, MMORPG and Ten Ton Hammer were treated to a unique opportunity by Bioware recently. During a livestream, lead writer Charles Boyd, producer Bruce MacLean and Game director James Ohlen shared more information about what’s coming to the latest SWToR expansion. Some of the highlights included: There will be a Patch 4.0 – there are more stories to be told (and probably more expansions in 2015) SWToR development is speeding up – expect to see more exciting announcements after the release of Shadow of Revan Patch 3.0 might expand to other locations other than Yavin IV and Rishi Togruta will be the next playable race and will be a Cartel Market item Solo flashpoints confirmed – A droid companion will be available to carry players through tough fights Class missions return – you can now play your unique class mission story
TOR Radio: A galaxy of podcasts!
After a brief hiatus for 2 weeks, we’re back with the latest and greatest SWToR podcasts out there. Obviously Shadow of Revan is the most talked about topic this week as well as Eric Musco’s recent interview with Snave and upcoming PVP changes. 1. OotiniCast – Episode 170 (Released: October 16,2014) Hosts discuss Patch 2.10.1c, the various answers flowing from the New York Community Cantina, and include many tips for making the most of 12x XP. Community News Holofeed News 2. Old republic Radio – Episode 83 (Released: October 21, 2014) The cast finally catches up with all the 3.0 updates Review of Cantina event in New York In SWTOR 101, the cast go over thoughts for all those returning to the game after a long hiatus 3. TOROCast – Episode 217 (Released: October 20,2014) Snave joins SWTOR Miner and Road to talk about Community Management Leveling with x12 EXP…
Enhanced guild conquest option now available
Patch 2.10.2 was released yesterday and Bioware discovered (!) an additional feature they implemented as part of the update. According to Community Production Coordinator Tait “pariahloki” Watson the enhanced guild conquest option is: Hey folks, After doing a check to see what else was pulled into 2.10.2, we found that the ability for Guild Masters to allow other Ranks within the Guild to start Invasions was also put in! GMs can set this permission within the Ranks tab in the Guild window. I’ll put that in as part of my Patch Note update as well. -tait It’s good to see Bioware working hard to implement additional features in the game based on the feedback they receive from the community.
Community News: The Revanites’ Ascendance
A new community news post was made available today from Bioware that sets the stage for the upcoming Shadow of Revan Expansion. As the title implies the post takes a closer look at a Revanites’ and their impact on both Republic and Empire. The author of the report, Shroud, makes the assumption that Revan’s followers have infiltrated the two main factions in the game and are slowly working towards their greater plan to conquer the galaxy. You can read a snippet from the post below FROM: The Shroud TO: All Assets (Level 25 Encoding Active) SUBJECT: The Order of Revan I have mentioned in the past that a number of embedded Imperial and Republic assets have been eliminated. Some of these deaths appeared purely incidental, while others were very obviously assassinations executed with varying degrees of competence and flair that would not suggest a pattern. I now believe it was a mistake for me to…
TOR TV: SWTOR – What The Game Could Have Been
Youtube user Kid Lee has posted an extremely interesting video about how much the game has changed since the original SWToR beta. He provides video and screenshots to demonstrate the features that never made it into the game. While one can only speculate why these elements never made it to the game, it’s certainly interesting to see what got left out. You can follow KidLee on: Twitter: http://bit.ly/1fDcU1X Facebook: http://on.fb.me/RpNZDP Tumblr: http://bit.ly/1fUxQMB or Email: KidLeeASF@Gmail.com
Lies, damned lies and statistics: MMO subscription numbers and SWToR
MMO subscription number tracking is a challenging venture. Most developers are extremely careful when crafting public releases relating to how many subscribers their game currently has. For better or worse, these values are considered to be a measure of success (or failure) of our beloved games and tend to offer insights on subscriber trends. Typically one would read announcements about player base increases in official websites or fansites, while occasionally quarterly reports would indicate decreases somewhere in the fine print. Some recent examples include World of Warcraft’s increase to 7.4 Million subscribers and SWToR’s announcement of having 1 Million subscribers since changing to the free-to-play subscription model. Some of the MMO subscription data MMOData.net used to offer At the same time, some community websites have attempted to track subscription numbers and offer clarity on the health of various MMOs. The most recent example is MMOdata.net that was probably one of the best community efforts out there….
Patch 2.10.2 notes – Turn your stronghold into a gambler’s paradise for only 1 credit!
About a month ago, Bioware admitted that the Smuggler’s Gambit slot machine wasn’t part of Constable Stronghold’s pack. To make up for the bug, Bioware’s community manager, Eric Musco, promised to rectify the issue by offering the before-mentioned item for purchase in-game for only 1 credit. Smuggler’s Gambit slot machine We only had to wait for a month for Mr.Musco’s promise to become reality. Patch 2.10.2 notes were recently released and among other things specify that the slot machine is available for purchase through the Binary Star Reputation Vendor. In specific: 2.10.2 Patch Notes Highlights 16-Player Operations have returned to Group Finder! We have made behind-the-scenes improvement to prevent the performance issues that we encountered when the system was initially made available. Check out the Group Finder to enjoy the faster queues and better rewards of 16-Player Story Mode Operations! General Imperial Crate (Single), Imperial Crate (Stacked), Republic Crate (Single), and Republic Crate (Stacked) have…
Get them while they last! Dark Horse Comics launches Star Wars Humble Bundle!
If you’re reading SWToRStrategies.com you know that Dark Horse comics will be transferring its Star Wars license to Marvel at the end of this year. This development isn’t stopping the former from releasing great deals on existing Star Wars publications.