Something is asunder in SWTOR, at least that’s what one user who took this screenshot would have us to think. They protested by blocking GTN mailboxes and sending out this message “Occupying GTN mailbox for 2 more quick bars for free to play players!” One major downfall to their plan? All you’re doing is irritating your fellow players. This is not the way to get your way with BioWare but it might be a decent way to get a ban- temporary at very least. Players used to do this in WoW all the time until Blizz started banning for it and putting it more mailboxes all over the major cities so it hardly matters if one idiot wants to get on a huge mount, drink a firewater and sit on the mailbox. But what we can admire from these SWTOR “riots” is their determination and willingness to stand up for…
SWTOR
XFire Charts Show SWTOR on the Rise
We assume that since BioWare won’t really tell us population info and other stats, that those statistics are likely based on xfire user info gained from the xfire chat client. It would only represent xfire users that play SWTOR, so it’s a very small sample. However, from this we can see that SWTOR saw a jump when it went free to play and if it stays this way for the next few days and even weeks, then that is a good sign that the game is gaining momentum. If you’re not new to SWTOR and you’ve been around since the beginning (or at least for some time now), this still benefits you. More players means more people to do things with and it also means more money and resources being put into making the game great. So seeing that graph climb more and more over the next few days and…
Game Update 1.6: Ancient Hypergate is on Public Test Server
If you’re just settling in to game update 1.5 and learning about all the new content and features, you might be surprised to know that Game Update 1.6: Ancient Hypergate is now on the Public Test Server (PTS). But those who like to jump in the PTS and be on the cutting edge of the next release are probably already anticipating this. BioWare talks about it more on their blog today, letting us know what we can expect with the new game update, including a new PvP Warzone and Heroic Space Missions: Travel to a remote Warzone to discover a brand new PvP battle mechanic. The Republic and Imperial forces are locked in an intense conflict to control two energy pylons. Fight to take control of these powerful pylons and kill enemy forces to discharge energy into your faction’s gate. The first team to open their portal unleashes deadly reinforcements to wipe out…
Best SWTOR Tools for Raiding/Flashpoints
In a game like Star Wars: The Old Republic, gearscore and pure DPS numbers are very important. You should not use them to select or reject certain players but they can help you see who in your group needs help. This makes it possible for your team to work together to become stronger and there are several great character building SWTOR’s tools available to help. Here are three of your best options along with a little information explaining how they can help your group improve. Memories of Xendor Memories of Xendor or MOX is one of the best Imperial progression guild available today for real-time parsing. It’s great for players that only use one monitor because this parser allows you to see pop outs of your personal meters and of the raid group. Even if you run on full screen, you can still see them because these pop-outs are set…
Star Wars Episode 7 Rumor Roundup 2
The Force Net brought us one of the most popular rumors of the week- the news that Carrie Fisher said at a book signing she would be in Episode 7. AS excited as many of us may be to see her in another film, it turns out it was just a joke. One of The Force Net’s readers, Curt, claims Fisher told him at a book signing that she would be in the new movie: I was at Carrie Fishers booksigning in Cherry Hill, NJ on November 15, and the interview she did started with the question ‘Are you really going to be in a new star wars movie?’ and Carrie answered quietly ‘Yes….I thought it was already common knowledge.’ She did not elaborate, as she probably doesn’t want to crow too loudly at this point in the project development. But this is the first confirmation from one of the main OT Cast. LFL…
Data Mined Chapter 4: Rise of the Hutt Cartel + Data Dump Info
SWTOR Spy found a very interesting item when looking at all the items that you can buy in the Cartel Market (cash shop that is getting introduced with the free to play option for SWTOR): Chapter 4: Rise of the Hutt Cartel Binds On Equip Grants all characters on your account access to “Chapter 4: Rise of the Hutt Cartel”” Applies the selected unlock to your Player Character or to your Account. While we are absolutely not sure what this means, the crew at SWTOR Spy has a theory: In our opinion, this means that the next content patch will bring the fourth chapter in our character’s story and it will be called Rise of the Hutt Cartel. For those of us closely following Star Wars: The Old Republic this comes as no surprise. During our interview at Gamescom 2012 we were told by both Jeff Hickman, Executive Producer of SWTOR…
SWTOR Developer Blog: Section X and HK-51 Missions in Game Update 1.5
While fans have been eagerly awaiting the release of SWTOR free-to-play, the developers have been hard at work behind the scenes preparing the content for the new Game Update 1.5. In today’s developer blog, they go into more detail for us, explaining to two main portions of the game update: Section X and HK-51 missions. They also share some info about storylines and what we can expect with the new game content. Be Warned: There are also spoilers about certain in-game storylines but you can avoid this because you have to be logged into the site to see them. Game Update 1.5 returns us to the story unfolding on Belsavis. Here is a snippet from the dev blog about Section X: Section X introduces a new set of daily repeatable missions for both Imperial and Republic players, including two new Heroics. These missions offer more rewards than any previous daily…
SWTOR Goes Free to Play November 15th!
The time has finally arrived- time for SWTOR to go free to play. Tomorrow is the big day and those who have been waiting for the F2P options to return to the game or to check it out for the first time will not have to wait any longer. While we await the free to play model of the game, the developers have been busy ramping things up for the new update- 1.5. This isn’t just a game switch to free to play; they also have new content, new zones and missions and loads more story. So if you’re just now getting into the game, there’s no better time. To try SWTOR for yourself for free, just visit the official website: SWTOR.com They currently have free to play preview videos, news and updates, info about game update 1.5 and information about cartel coins and what is being awarded to those…
The Old Republic Annihilation Releases Today!
The time has finally arrived and The Old Republic Annihilation is released today! We’ve been bringing you the updates as we waiting, unsure of the exact date for the book release but knowing it was coming soon. Now that day has finally arrived. Drew Karpyshyn himself tells us a little about this story and why he is excited for its release: I’m very excited for Annihilation to come out, because it’s a bit of a different take on the Star Wars universe for me. For startes, Theron Shan – the main character – isn’t a Jedi or a Sith. That’s a pretty big change from characters like Bane and Revan, who are in large part defined by their relationship with the awesome power of the Force. But Annihilation also has a different feel than some of my previous novels. The Publisher’s synopsis of Annihilation tells us more about the general story: “”The Sith Empire…
SWTOR Free-to-Play: 6 Reasons You Should Try It
SWTOR free-to-play is coming in just two more days on November 15th. If you have always wanted to play the game, now is the perfect time. If you played in the beta or even tried it when it first came out and quit, there are some very compelling reasons why you should consider trying it again now that it’s free to play. Let’s take a look at 6 reasons you should try SWTOR: It’s Free- What better reason is there than “free”? There is nothing to risk in a free game. How can you be sure you get more than you pay for? Play a free game, of course. There will be subscription options for those who want to upgrade and getting something more from the game. Great value for a free game- Okay, free is cool but let’s face it; we all know that you get what you pay…
BioWare Tweets SWTOR Free to Play Releases November 15
If you’ve been waiting for the set date for the new free to play model of SWTOR, it’s finally here. BioWare released a press conference call to major gaming outlets/ fansites yesterday and this morning, they officially tweeted the news about the date. Star Wars: The Old Republic Free-to-play option is coming November 15, the same time as Game Update 1.5! — Electronic Arts UK (@electronicarts) November 8, 2012 In addition to the news that Free to Play will officially be here next week on the 15th, we also know that it’s coming with the official launch of game update 1.5, which is set to be a huge turning point in the game with many new features and loads of new content. In this press conference call, BioWare revealed some great info about game changes and details. Christine and Producer Cory Butler discussed F2P and Update 1.5 with us yesterday. They explained…
Celebrating 4 Years of SWTOR Strategies
The big day is here again and we’re breaking out the confetti and party balloons and sharing some virtual cake with all of you- our loyal readers! SWTOR Strategies is celebrating 4 years on the Net today. Last year on this date, we were still looking at about 2 months for the launch of SWTOR. It’s amazing how far things have come in just one short year. Not only did the game launch with a bang, but we’re seen some very rocky roads since then. In the past 10 months, players have loved and hated SWTOR and now with the 1 year anniversary of launch on the way, the game is looking to go to a new free-to-play model which many fans are very excited about. This new F2P option may bring back a lot of players who left the game as well as draw in new players who weren’t…
Daniel Erickson hires Emmanuel Lusinchi to Bluepoint Games
Could some of the old BioWare team get back together to work on a new project? It’s a theory we tossed out there back when the news of many key BioWare players leaving was first revealed. Well today Twitter gave us a little more insight into this very topic! A tweet from former BioWare develop Daniel Erickson today confirms Emmanuel Lusinchi has left or will be soon leaving BioWare to start work at Bluepoint as a Lead Designer. There were previous rumors about Lusinchi leaving but nothing solid or in the public until this tweet today: — Daniel Erickson (@DanielAErickson) November 5, 2012 I have to admit that it’s tough to see how passionately these developers and designers talked about SWTOR earlier this year at the Guild Summit and now they are dropping off like flies. These are people who put their heart and soul into their work and for those of…
Community Developer Blog: HK-51 Classified Intel
James B. Jones stopped by the community developer blog for an update on HK-51. Co-author of the Star Wars™ : The Old Republic Encyclopedia, Jones knows a lot about SWTOR. He shared some exciting classified intel about the new HK-51 companion character in Game Update 1.5! Here’s a snippet from the blog: Though the HK-51 model is outfitted with all the features of his predecessors, several upgrades are also included in the package. Practical use suggested that overly-ambitious engineers may have programmed previous HK models to be a little too bloodthirsty. Make no mistake—the HK-51 model still relishes violence in all its forms, but efficiency is now its guiding directive rather than brutality. Field tests have proven that the HK-51 model is far more reliable and effective in combat due to these upgrades. Despite the emphasis on efficiency, HK-51’s primary directive is still to eliminate his target at any cost….
Meet the Developers: Hall Hood
This week’s Meet the Developers post from SWTOR features Hall Hood, Lead Writer on Star Wars™: The Old Republic™. In each “Meet the Developers,” they introduce a new developer, ask them some questions about their background and their place on the SWTOR team and then they publish it all on the forums in a specific thread so you can read and ask more questions if you want. I was excited to see this week’s was with Hall Hood. I always love hearing from the writers on the team and I knew he would have a lot of insight into the game and storylines. Here’s a snippet of the interview: Who is your favorite companion? Why? Risha, hands-down. She’s so much fun to write, and Tara Strong’s voice acting blows me away every time. What has been the most enjoyable thing to write for SWTOR? I’m a big fan of our companion…
Tosche Station Radio #35: Buyout
Brian and Nanci from Tosche Station + Dunc from clubjade.net discuss the Disney buyout and episode 7 What led Brian and Nanci to call an emergency episode of Tosche Station Radio? Well, none other than the big Disney buyout of Lucasfilm. It’s not surprising really, since everyone is talking about this buyout and how it seemed to come out of left field and completely unexpected. What is interesting, however, is what they talked about. Lots of great points brought up in this emergency episode of Tosche Station Radio! What’s it all about? The notes are brief, because we’re only talking about one thing: Disney’s purchase of Lucasfilm and the announcement of new Star Wars films (our post/Club Jade’s post). Hosts Nanci and Brian are joined by Dunc from Club Jade to try and make sense of the big news and offer insight as to what this might mean for the future of the Galaxy Far, Far…
Electronic Arts Q2 2013 Earnings Conference Call and SWTOR
The Electronic Arts Q2 2013 Earnings Conference Call revealed a few tidbits about SWTOR and as you know, we’re always looking for any new piece of information at this point. The haters also latch on to these earnings calls, looking for reasons to say that SWTOR is a sinking ship, but we’re not ready to dub it the TORtanic just yet. In fact, we have high hopes, as does EA, that the new free-to-play model will turn things around and generate a new or returned interest in the game. So did the call reveal anything useful about SWTOR and the future of the game? Well, it was mentioned a little, as no surprise since this game has been a huge investment for EA as a company and investors are eager to see if it’s going to pay off in the long term after those short term initial sales last year. Here are…
The Numbers Show SWTOR Isn’t Dying
People tend to take on a “the sky is falling” attitude when things don’t go as planned and gamers are no exception. We are judgmental and opinionated and we want our games to be fantastic. If they don’t hit the nail on the head at the start, we call it a flop. Some are labeling SWTOR in the fail category, but is it really? One member of the SWTOR community started an interesting thread on the forums to show the real numbers behind the game and in comparison to other games. He shows that it’s all about perspective when it comes to how you look at the game. These numbers can give a little more perspective to the whole picture: Direct MMO competitors with a subscription or subscription + F2P model (Western Subscription numbers only): World of Warcraft has ~5.1 million players SWTOR has between 1mil-500k players. Eve Online has…
Malgus Dressing Up as Revan for Halloween
Halloween is almost here- what are you going as? It’s an excuse to dress up without fear of being judged (but really, do we care what people think?) and there are parties and drinks (if you’re old enough) and don’t forget- CANDY! For a little extra fun this Halloween, why not mix in your love of Star Wars/SWTOR? Malgus seems to be representing Revan this year! When it comes to Halloween, there is usually no shortage of Star Wars themed costumes. I just saw an adorable Yoda getup I’d love for my 10 month old this year. Imagine all the candy he would get! I also saw an awesome costume on Facebook of a little boy who uses a walker. His dad made him a custom Luke Skywalker costume built around the walker. Pretty cool! But this year, it’s likely we might see more SWTOR-themed costumes as well. Will non-gamers…
Subscribers Not Charged Credits for Skill Point Re-specializations
In the news of what benefits subscribers will get, came some very exciting news about re-specializations. Amber Green, Live Community Coordinator, posted a thread on the SWTOR forums that lists the benefits to subscribers. Of this was the news that subscribers will not be charged credits for skill point re-specs. How many people do you think will subscribe just for this benefit alone? Chances are high that players will opt in just to know how many credits they can save from being able to re-spec when and how they need to. Here are some other details from that forum post: Highlights Travel to Section X on Belsavis and learn why the nefarious Dread Guard has seized control of this ravaged sector of the planet! Section X can be accessed on Belsavis and via the daily mission shuttles. HK-51 can now be acquired as a Companion Character! A shipment of the…
Developer Update 10/25: FTP Changes Coming Soon
For those of you on the PTS who have been reporting bugs and giving feedback on the game, your voices are being heard. A recent developer update tells us that there will be some important and interesting changes coming very soon. The forum thread will tell you the full changes and updates but here are some highlights. Free-to-Play players will now get a second quickslot bar. Free-to-Play players will now be able to do 5 Warzones per week instead of 3. The Cartel Coin item lock (i.e. temporary bind) will be reduced to 3 days for Free-to-Play players, and 2 days for subscribers. They added that they found some crucial bugs that needed stomping, which is good. These changes will make their way to the PTS by early next week. Here is some more from that post: There are a couple of key concepts that should be kept in mind…
Guide to HK 51
The HK-51 companion is finally here and this guide will explain what you need to do to acquire one. Some of the tasks are fairly easy but others will be very difficult so be prepared to spend some time on this quest. Before you can acquire your HK-51 companion, you’ll need to gather up a few components and there are seven of them altogether. Scanning for Components You’ll have to scan for four of the seven components. These are the HK Chassis, HK AI Regulator, HK Power Core and the HK Motivator. In Taris, look for the downed Endar Spire. Just north of it, you’ll find the HK Chassis. As you approach the area near the end of the Endar Spire, you’ll notice it starts to gradually close in. This is where you need to start scanning until you find the component. In Hoth, search for the HK Power Core…
Introducing Preferred Player Status
Preferred Player status is incoming and many SWTOR fans are curious just what this means. Will certain parts of the game be unplayable without preferred player status? Will certain zones or features in the game not be in access? All great questions and BioWare took to the forums to clear it all up for us. So just what will preferred player status mean? Here’s the breakdown and explanation from the forums: As a Preferred Status Player, you will gain the following benefits compared to Free-to-Play Players: • The Sprint ability at Level 1 • Access to your Cargo Hold (an 80 item Player Bank) • Access to Secure Trade (starting at level 10) • The ability to send Mail, including one (1) attachment • Increased allowance for chat message frequencies in Public chat channels (such as /general) • An increased Credits Cap • Access to the Who List • Three…
Inserting, Removing, and REing Crafted Mods for Schems is “Unintended” but Not an Exploit
Reverse engineering mods is expensive, especially when you are trying to build up a nice stock of schematics to place on the GTN. When you’re a new player trying to gear up, this can be a real hassle. But there has been a new “trick” found that makes it a little bit easier by bypassing this altogether. The real question is: Is this an exploit? A forum user explains: SomeJagoff As is already known, when you try to RE other people’s crafted mods, it says no research available, however, as I pulled out a mod that I know I bought off the gtn a few months ago to replace with a better one, I noticed that it said 20% chance to research a schem available. Out of curiosity, I threw the new mod that I just bought off the GTN into my armor, then pulled it out, same thing, research…