New 'SWTOR: Knights of the Fallen Empire' Story Trailer!

By: Dominic Jones

It's been three years since the last amazing cinematic trailer for Star Wars: The Old Republic was released.  Today, Bioware released a brand new cinematic story trailer for a new expansion of the game titled "Knights of the Fallen Empire."  Check it out below,


The expansion will be available as of October 27, 2015 and is free to all subscribers.  It is described as,
Step into an epic story-driven adventure as your character becomes The Outlander, a veteran of the Great Galactic War. A third faction threatens the galaxy as we know it, and your choices will determine the fate of both the Sith Empire and Galactic Republic. Knights of the Fallen Empire includes the first nine chapters, fueled by BioWare-style cinematic storytelling, that kicks off a new player-driven story arc that puts you at the center of a conflict where your choices have impact on outcomes including unexpected twists and betrayals. Choose your path…join or betray companions, old and new…and shape the future of the entire galaxy as well as your own. Best of all, this is only the beginning…

IGN has a few more details about the game.  According to IGN,
The CG trailer was created by Blur, the studio responsible for The Old Republic’s previous, similarly spectacular animated story vignettes. IGN will debut an extended version of the Knights of the Fallen Empire story trailer following EA’s press conference.

Source: Bioware, IGN

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SWTOR’s 1.6 Patch Coming December 11th

By Trey Atwood

Bioware’s latest patch for The Old Republic will be released to players this coming Tuesday, surpassing expectations of a much longer wait. The patch includes a new PVP Warzone called Ancient Hypergate and six Heroic Space missions for both factions. 

However, while free players will be able to access this content, it will be limited as the currents space missions and warzones are now.

The patch will last from 2AM CST (12AM PST/3AM EST/8AM GMT/9AM CET/7PM AEDT) to 8AM CST (6AM PST/9AM EST/2PM GMT/3PM CET/1AM AEDT), after which you will be able to log on and play.

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SWTOR's Preferred Status Announcement

By Trey Atwood

Free-to-play has been available to players of The Old Republic for almost a month now, and Bioware says they’ve been taking feedback from their test servers very seriously and encouraging new players and former players alike to play The Old Republic. Now they’ve announced that they’re going to modify their preferred status model to accommodate more features.

What is preferred status? 

Preferred status is an upgrade from free-to-play, but still doesn’t involve a subscription. To be a preferred status player you have to either buy the game, a Cartel Coin Card, or anything from SWTOR’s online store (this includes the security key, subscription plan, or digital upgrade pack). This means that essentially all you have to do is buy something, and the cheapest thing you can get is 5$ (USD). Former subscribers are automatically placed into preferred status as well.

What benefits were already attached to preferred status? 

Preferred status players have the ability to run at level 1, making travelling around the lower-level planets much easier and more efficient. They also get Cargo Hold access to store items from their inventory, higher log-in queue priority, and increased access to chat and secure trading. Personally, with these and the upcoming benefits of preferred status I’d say it’s more than worth it to get some cartel coins so you can access these features.

What are the new changes? How will they effect the game?

Right now preferred status players enjoy a slight advantage over their free-to-play counterparts by having the amount of quickbars (menus on the screen used to access your abilities) doubled from two to four, making it easier to play as you get your character to higher levels and receive more abilities to use. Those who have purchased the quickbars from the Cartel Coin Shop already will have their coins refunded.

 Bioware also says that in their next patch (no date has yet been given) the amount of characters that preferred status players can have will be increased from two to six, in effect tripling the amount that the basic free-to-play model will allow.

Finally, Bioware has stated that in their upcoming patch that subscribers will have the overall limit of fifty characters spread across all servers removed entirely so that “If you wanted to, you can truly create your own army of Troopers or a legion of Sith Warriors.”

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Your Guide to SWTOR: Huttball

By: Trey Atwood

Part three of your guide to SWTOR, we will be discussing the different kinds of warzones, this part deals with Huttball.

What are warzones? 

Warzones are matches of player-versus-player games giving each team a goal to achieve and a deadline to achieve it in. Warzones are great way to make fast credits, gain experience points, get access to better post-level-50 gear once you’ve leveled your character, and competitively game with other players as opposed to AI enemies. As of right now there are four different types of warzones, each with their own rules and goals.

With free-to-play out, there are a lot of people who don’t know the first thing about warzones but want to play them. Learning by doing’s a nice method, but a lot of players get frustrated when they repeatedly go into matches where their teammates have no idea what to do. This basic strategy guide is filled with easy tips and tricks so that you can give your team a competitive edge.

What is Huttball?

Huttball is essentially a game of “capture the flag:” you go to the middle, get the ball, and take it to the enemy’s goal line to gain points for your team. Once you score or if you throw the ball to nowhere, it returns to its starting position in the center. Dying with the huttball at the hands of an enemy gives them the ball. How your ball carrier gets there is up to you and your class specification may play a role in that, but the main idea is usually to keep the ball on your team and headed towards the enemy goal line. The Huttball match ends when either one team has reached six points or the fifteen minute timer runs out. If there is a tie or no goals have been scored, then the team holding the ball wins.

Passing the Huttball

This is without a doubt the most important aspect of Huttball: knowing how to pass is the difference between winning by a landslide and a humiliating loss. When you queue into a Huttball match for the first time, you will automatically have the huttball ability placed in your quickbar (you can also find it in the abilities menu by pressing “P”), passing the huttball works like an area of effect attack: wherever you aim there will be a large circle around it and once you click, the ball will go to someone within that circle (or if no one is there, back to the middle of the arena in its default place).

Stealthed allies cannot catch the ball, but if you throw it to them while they are in stealth and they become visible by the time it reaches them, they can catch it.

Throwing the ball to nowhere when you are about to die is also a good strategy to temporarily keep the other team from gaining it.

The Ball Carrier 

Ball carriers are (obviously) the ones who hold the Huttball. A ball carrier can be of any class, but you generally want to pass the ball to someone on your team with heavy armor or someone whose character is specialized in tanking (tanks are geared for survivability, and while most are heavy armored, an exception to this would be the Shadow/Assassin class, which can choose to either specialize in damage dealing or tanking). Heavily armored Knights/Warriors make excellent ball carriers because of their ability to jump to an enemy’s location, this should also be kept in mind when you’re defending; if you see a Knight/Warrior ball carrier and you’re in front of the goal line, either jump down or make sure that they’re out of range to jump to you. Many times, however, you won’t have the luxury to look for someone with heavy armor and will either have to pass it to any ally you can or throw it to nowhere and hope that a teammate is near where the ball will spawn in the middle of the arena. The ball is timed very particularly, so if someone you're passing to leaves the circle before the ball reaches they won't catch it: keep this in mind when trying to pass to people who are running.

Stopping the Ball Carrier

Every class in The Old Republic is equipped with a way to slow or stop the ball carrier from advancing. Some classes like the Smuggler will have more than others like the Jedi Knight. The key to stopping the ball carrier is knowing the effect of your stun or slow and using it.

There’s essentially only one wrong way to do it: using your stun while your enemy’s resolve bar is active. The resolve bar is a meter around your enemy’s portrait (which you can see next to your quickbar when you have them targeted) which measures their resolve, if you see a white bar slowly going down it means that their resolve is active and that you are effectively wasting your stun if you use it on them. After the bar has gone completely down you can stun them again. The resolve bar builds after every time a character is stunned, after which their resolve will automatically activate and make them temporarily immune to stuns and other movement-impairing effects (this does not mean the same as unstoppable; you can still kill them).

Traps

The arena in Huttball is filled with environmental hazards that will stop you on your way to the goal line if you aren't careful, although sometimes there isn't much you can do from stopping a trap from killing you regardless of what you do. The word “traps” may be misleading though; they aren't going to pop out of a wall and instantly kill you, they’re in set locations that won’t change and it’s fairly obvious what they’ll do.

Firetraps

Placed on the catwalks leading to the team goals, firetraps turn on and off for equal amounts of time. They’re on alternating patterns with the firetraps adjacent to them; when one of them’s on, the other’s off. A mistake one might make is seeing an active firetrap and trying to go to the other side where the other one awaits, only to find that in the amount of time it’s taken you to walk there, they switch and you’re stuck in the same situation: the solution is usually to wait it out if there’s no ally past the firetrap to pass to. Firetraps are also a favorite method of stopping a ball carrier by either stunning them while they’re walking across it or pulling them into an active one that they don’t even have to be next to at the time. Be aware though that touching the fire doesn’t mean instant death; if you have a speed boosting ability that can be used it may be worth taking the damage if you can make it to the goal line.

Acid pools

The acid pools are around the center area where the ball is located, there are two of them that are placed so that you will have to run around them (or if you’re using a Consular/Inquisitor, you can use your speed boost to jump over them) when going for the ball at the start of each match. They work similar to the firetraps; standing in them for too long kills you. This is another trap that enemies can and will try to pull you in if they’re smart enough.

Air Vents

There are two air vents on the ground on the left and right of the default Huttball location, these also technically aren’t traps, but it’s a gamble on whether or not you’ll die based on where they throw you once you step on them; they may put you where you want to go, on the opposite side of where you want to be, land you next to a firetrap, or anywhere in between. Air vents randomize the location of where you’re thrown (always within the center of the map though; you aren't going to score any goals using an air vent), but they’re a good way to shake off melee-using pursuers because they aren’t as likely to be thrown to the same location that you are. They can also just as easily throw you into a mass of enemies.

Huttball is the game of the Hutts; it's slimy, dishonest, and deadly. Using whatever means you can to win is something that's told to you at the start of every match, so hopefully this guide has brought you closer to taking home a victory for your faction. Remember: weapons, name-calling, and cheating... are all encouraged!

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Your Guide to SWTOR: Choosing a Faction and Class

By: Trey Atwood

With free-to-play coming to The Old Republic on 11/15/2012, a lot of people are interested in playing, but don’t know where to start. This article is part two of a series on introducing new players to the galaxy of The Old Republic.

Choosing a Faction in The Old Republic

Our story in The Old Republic is set more than three thousand years and two Death Stars before the movies we all know, and the Republic and Empire are both around at the same time for uneasy peace. But this is neither the Empire nor Republic that we know from the saga. Sith Lords rule the Empire not from the shadows, but openly dominate their territory in ways that non-Force users could only dream of escaping. While the Republic fights its battles not with a clone army bought from an alien manufacturer, but with naturally-born soldiers of all races raised during wartime that volunteer to defend their homes from invaders that haven’t been seen for thousands of years. Just like in the real world, each faction has overt values that can be cast in both positive in negative light. In The Old Republic, we see many shades of gray as you go from planet to planet with the overall broad view of the factions remaining the same as they usually are with the Empire as the “bad guys” and the Republic as the “good guys.”

Choosing a Class by Story

In The Old Republic you get to choose from eight different classes (four for each faction) which will guide you from your starting planet to the rest of the Galaxy as you go on your incredible adventure. In this article you will find a brief, spoiler-free description and overview of each class’s Chapter 1 storyline. The Old Republic mimics the original trilogy’s three act style with “chapters” that break up the main plot into more manageable pieces. No matter which character you choose, whichever species, whichever gender, you are one of eight of the Galaxy’s most important people. Just like Luke, you start from small beginnings and grow into one of the most powerful forces there is. As you travel around the galaxy you gain followers that will fight by your side and help you achieve your goals. Regardless of faction you can choose to be good, evil, or neutral (but there’s not much point in neutrality). Your alignment will affect your choices and changing your alignment later can lead to interesting results in some cases. Keep in mind that each class has a character that is based off of someone from the Star Wars franchise and the parallels are plain to see: the ships will look similar to those used by their counterparts in the movie, Smugglers will get a Wookiee companion, Bounty Hunters use flamethrowers, Sith Inquisitors can pace like Darth Maul, Trooper armor looks very familiar if you look at clones, and more. Whatever path you take, it is meant to feel like there’s a movie going on about your character and you’re the star.

Republic:

Jedi Knight

You are a newly knighted Jedi, the student of one of the Order’s greatest masters. The most iconic hero character of the franchise, the Jedi Knight story is written by Drew Karpyshyn (who wrote the original story for the Knights of The Old Republic game). You are tasked with protecting the Republic from a traitor who always seems to be a step ahead of you. As a Knight, you will go across the galaxy to stop threats to the Republic. Along the way you will be guided by familiar characters like an aged and experienced master as well as have the companionship of a lovable astromech, a young and brash apprentice, and a cunning rogue. The threats become larger as you progress and the galaxy will depend more and more on your actions. Eventually you will come face to face with the greatest evil in the universe and beat it back into the darkness.

Jedi Consular

You play a Jedi Consular, a promising student on the Jedi academy of Tython, and the hope of the Jedi Order. A savant of the Force, the Jedi Consular’s story places more emphasis on the wisdom of the Jedi. One of the disadvantages to playing the Consular story is best framed by the Consular character themself as you take an oath to “act with calm and clarity;” the story places so much importance on the tranquility and focus required to be a Jedi that it may even take some of the actual fun out of playing the character. Your character is a hero even amongst heroes and a prodigy of Jedi teachings; you are literally the only one capable of beating an ancient Sith threat. Your duties among the Jedi are extraordinary for your age and rank initially and you must overcome what even the Masters failed to. In a galaxy where the dark side clouds and distorts the actions of your enemies, the Consular must cut through the fog with the wisdom and knowledge needed to protect the Republic.

Trooper

You play a Trooper, newly recruited into one of the most prestigious squads of Republic military history: Havoc Squad. You are tasked with fighting the Separatists on Ord Mantell and solidifying the Republic’s relationship with the locals. But no plan survives the battlefield and the Trooper must adapt to the unexpected on Ord Mantell to survive. After you leave the planet, you report to a Republic General to address new and old enemies of the Republic. Just like the clones of the prequel trilogy, it is your duty to face and eliminate the enemy no matter the cost.

Smuggler

You play a Smuggler, after a deal goes south you must work to get back what is yours and get even with who wronged you. You gain contacts in the both the shining towers of Coruscant as well as its seedy underbelly. Eventually you catch your enemy off guard and get to seize his opportunity, which will make your reputation known throughout both the Republic and Empire. Smugglers use a combination of cleverness and cheap tricks to get their work done and aren't afraid to get their hands dirty. You’ll go from planet to planet to make business deals, find supporters, and make a name for yourself with the celebrities of the criminal underworld.

Empire:

Sith Warrior

You play a Sith Warrior and, just as Darth Vader did, the enforcer to you Sith Master. Preparing for war against the Republic as well as his rivals, your master will give you all the tools necessary to succeed, at least enough to achieve his ends. You will neutralize rivals and secure your position from threats ranging from the Republic to your own associates. One of the unique traits of the Sith Warrior story line is that if you choose to play on the light side, you have the option to hide your good will from those that would think you weak. As the Sith Warrior, you charge face first into your enemies with wrath and the Force as your only true allies.

Sith Inquisitor

From slave to Sith, your rise to power is most evident when you play the Inquisitor Having recently been released from slavery due to your high potential in the Force, you must attend the Sith Academy on Korriban. Your activity there attracts the attention of a Sith Lord looking for a new apprentice and you must vie against your rivals as well as a biased overseer bent on snuffing you out in favor of a Sith Pureblood acolyte. As you face the trials of Korriban and beyond you must keep your wits about you, be careful who you trust, and overcome all obstacles in your way of climbing the ranks of the Sith. Once you begin your trek across the galaxy, you must travel from planet to planet gaining allies and gaining power through unnatural methods using the Force. You must build and defend your power structure from all sides and build your legacy from the ground up and make yourself known in a galaxy where you once would have served namelessly.

Bounty Hunter

You play a Bounty Hunter, seeking the reputation and fortune that comes with winning an old and prestigious competition between hunters known as The Great Hunt. Unfortunately for you, this means that you’ll make enemies that will stop at nothing to make sure you don’t place. Those that are familiar with Mandalorians will enjoy the spoken Mando’a as well as the many encounters you get with the warrior culture, which can be increased even further depending on your choices. With heavy armor, a good ship, and a flamethrower you’ll travel the galaxy with a support team that helps you track down your targets, your competition, and allies that will aid you as you progress.

Imperial Agent

You are an Imperial Cipher Agent: an undercover countermeasure against anti-Imperial threats whether they come from inside the Empire or from the far reaches of the galaxy. Whatever the motives behind your agent, your story will take you through a maze of treachery and espionage that will intrigue players who want to exercise their brains over the complex politics within the Empire, graying the lines between friend and foe when you must balance the need to satisfy your loyalties (which may change) with your best interests. A special feature of the Imperial Agent is the multiple shifting accents and personalities your character can choose to fit your cover situation. The Imperial Agent story is undoubtedly the most flexible of all class storylines, having to actually cut endings from the storyline as there were originally too many options. In an Empire where Force users rule over the rest, the Agent uses cunning and deception not only to level the playing field, but to turn the tide in their favor.

Choosing your class is one of the biggest decisions you can make when you play The Old Republic. From the duty and compassion you may feel while playing a Jedi Knight to the treachery and intrigue you'll commit as a Sith Inquisitor, the class you choose will shape the path you take through the galaxy as your story takes place in The Old Republic.

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Your Guide to SWTOR: Choosing a Server

By Trey Atwood

With free-to-play coming soon to The Old Republic, a lot of people are interested in playing, but don’t know where to start. This article is part one of a series on introducing new players to the galaxy of The Old Republic.

The first thing you’ll choose when you log in is which server to play on. With new higher-population consolidated servers, the amount of play servers has gone from dozens to just eight in North America: one of each of the four different server types for the EST and PST time zones. This was one of the steps taken by Bioware to simplify things for free-to-play; it’ll be a lot easier to find your friends now that there are fewer servers in the list. Depending on your style of playing, how familiar you are with MMORPGs (Massive Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Games), as well as the type of player environment you want to be in, it’s something you should consider before double clicking.

PVE Servers

This server type means “Player versus Environment,” for most players this will generally be the default that beginners want to try out if they’re interested in more game-centered play, rather than having complete focus on either player combat or the storytelling aspect. PVE servers put emphasis on the community against the world and the cooperative play between players to take down AI enemies and obstacles and even then it’s still a completely viable option to go through the vast majority of the game by yourself if that’s your preference.

PVP Servers

For people new to MMOs: PVP means “Player versus player.” A lot of people new to online gaming get intimidated by the thought of facing other players, but by the time you actually see enemy players you should be prepared for it (in most cases you’ll be level 20 before you even see a player from the other faction). However people should be aware that PVP servers house the most competitive players you’ll find in the game, which can lead to an unfriendly atmosphere.

What are the playing differences on a PVP server? Being on a PVP server means that players on your enemy’s faction will be able to fight you on sight in contested areas regardless of: your level (whether higher or lower), your awareness of them, your character type (healers should use the buddy system), or how well your character is geared. There is also a type of RP server for PVPers for those interested in the hybrid of player storytelling and combat.

Just to alleviate some possible fears about jumping into a PVP server though: you lose nothing significant by dying because of other players, the only bad thing that will happen when you die is that you’ll have to repair your armor and items when you become conscious again (this can be done at any of the game’s vendors by clicking the repair button in their shop menu). Your standing in the game is unaffected by being beaten and you lose no items, experience, or stats. The only thing that should be hurting after a loss in open world PVP is your pride.

RP-PVE Servers

Personally, this is my favorite kind of server. RP stands for “roleplay,” but by no means is that a requirement; people talk normally (out of character) in the game’s main chat and are generally a more serious type of player. RP server players are usually more focused on the storylines of the game as well as the stories of their custom characters as opposed to game mechanics, so newer players as well as people who just want a low-pressure environment may find themselves most suited to an RP server.

If you’re interested in roleplaying characters it’d be a good idea to look for an RP guild, which will usually have a more organized way to start as well as a central plot, for more short term encounters most people just begin by introducing themselves in cantinas. The lack of emphasis on PVP also cuts down on the competitive atmosphere if you’re worried about it; if you think of the PVP servers as the major leagues, this is the server type where at the end of the match you can usually get a “GG” from the other team and kudos for at least trying.

Ultimately you'll play the same game no matter which server type you choose, but the experience can differ vastly between the types. Whichever your preference, there's sure to be a server type for you in The Old Republic.

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The Old Republic Going Free to Play

By: Dave Bouressa

Things are not going well for the Star Wars MMORPG from Bioware. Starting as one of the largest and most expensive games ever made, to have the game end up going free to play is financial suicide. However, although this game has had years worth of anticipation, it has fallen to less than one million subscribers in less than a year. To keep players interested and bring in new players, EA has decided to go “free-to-play” with the game, starting in November.

EA stated in a press release that the game will be available for $15 starting August 7th, and that price will include a month of free play. Earlier this year, the game entered a trial period to allow new players to play for free up until their character reaches level 15. However, players will now be able to play any of the 8 story lines all the way up to the maximum player level-level 50.

To prevent themselves from going into bankruptcy, there will still be some real-world money involved. Although the game itself will be free to play, accessing higher-level game content and other new features that will soon be added to the game such as downloadable content, can be purchased either individually or through a subscription. Bioware has also promised more frequent updates and extra features in the coming months.

"Since launch, we've been listening to feedback from our fans and adding new content and refining The Old Republic at a breakneck pace," executive producer Jeff Hickman said in today's press release. "We believe we are in a position to help improve the service even more, not only by continuing to add new content, but also by expanding the game to many more Star Wars fans, increasing the populations on worlds and the vibrancy of the community."

Here are the two options BioWare has to offer, according to their press release:

Subscription – A service designed for players who want unrestricted access to all the game features via ongoing subscription or by redeeming a Game Time Card. In addition to gaining access to all game content as our current subscribers do now, subscribers will receive ongoing monthly grants of Cartel Coins, the new virtual currency that will be introduced later this fall. Cartel Coins can be used to purchase valuable in-game items including customizable gear and convenience features that will enhance the game play experience.

Free-To-Play – The first 50 levels will be Free-to-Play, with restrictions on access to new content and advanced player features. Some restrictions can be "unlocked" with Cartel Coins.
If you are already a subscriber (or were in the past) you will receive several rewards for your money: “150 Cartel Coins per paid month; 1,000 Cartel Coins and a “Hero’s Banner” for Collector’s Edition buyers; and extra bonuses for those who sign up between now and the free-to-play launch.

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KOTOR Bundle Pack Coming Soon

By: Dominic Jones
 

A new product has been listed on Amazon revealing that a new PC bundle pack of the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords. The pack will cost $19.99 and will be released on July 17, 2012. Here is the product description from Amazon:

• Kotor I - A massive conflict between Jedi & Sith has left the Republic weakened where the young Jedi's mission will determine the outcome of this colossal galactic war - and your destiny as a Jedi
• Kotor I - Lead your group of freedom fighters across the galaxy -- you can choose from humans, droids, Twi'leks, Wookies and more and recruit others to your cause & train them in exciting mini-games like racing swoop bikes or manning turret guns
• Kotor I - Travel to ten unique worlds; Customizable and evolving characters
• Kotor II - Sequel to the award-winning role-playing game; All-new Force powers, weapons, locations, characters and classes
• Kotor II - Choose the light or the dark side of the Force based on your characters actions as you progress through the story

 

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Sunday Star Wars Panels at SDCC

 By: Dominic Jones

The schedule for Sunday at this year's San Diego Comic Con is now available and features a few panels of interest for Star Wars fans, especially those interested in The Old Republic and costuming, as well as a panel about the upcoming documentary Drew: The Man Behind the Poster. Check out the descriptions of these panels below:

11:45-12:45 Meet the Companions of Star Wars: The Old Republic Voice actors behind some of the most memorable SWTOR companions talk about what it was like stepping into their roles in The Old Republic. Bring your questions for the Q&A! Panelists include Tara Strong (Risha), Catherine Taber (Vette), Tasia Velenza (Kaliyo) and others.  Room 6BCF  

2:00-3:00 501st Costuming 101: Dressing to Serve the Empire! This panel describes the essentials about what it takes to create a costume that meets the standards of quality for entry into the 501st Legion. It will provide an overview of what is involved in creating a costume, the different costume categories, and how much time is involved in creating a costume that is screen accurate. A panel of experts will describe, display, and demonstrate tips and techniques used for their costume specialty. They will also share information about the mission of the 501st legion.  Room 24ABC  

3:45-4:45 Drew: The Man Behind the Poster Screening a premiere clip from the feature-length documentary about movie poster artist Drew Struzan, which includes exclusive interviews with George Lucas, Harrison Ford, Michael J. Fox, Frank Darabont, Guillermo del Toro, Steven Spielberg, and many others. Followed by a Q&A panel that will include artist Drew Struzan, actor Thomas Jane, director Erik P. Sharkey, producer Charles Ricciardi, composer Ryan Shore, co-cinematographer and supervising editor Greg Boas, editor Jeff Yorkes, Stephen Saffel of Titan Books, and Zach Martin of Skywalker Sound Studios. Room 5AB

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TOR: Annihilation Official Synopsis Revealed

By: Dominic Jones

Random House has released the official synopsis fro Drew Karpyshyn's upcoming novel Star Wars: The Old Republic: Annihilation. The ties into the Star Wars: The Old Republic MMORPG from Bioware and LucasArts, and is scheduled to hit shelves on November 13th, 2012. Check out the official synopsis below:  

The Sith Empire is in flux. The Emperor is missing, presumed dead, and an ambitious Sith lord’s attempt to seize the throne has ended fatally. Still, Darth Karrid, commander of the fearsome Imperial battle cruiser Ascendant Spear, continues her relentless efforts to achieve total Sith domination of the galaxy.  

But Karrid’s ruthless determination is more than matched in the steely resolve of Theron Shan, whose unfinished business with the Empire could change the course of the war for good. Though the son of a Jedi master, Theron does not wield the Force—but like his renowned mother, the spirit of rebellion is in his blood. As a top covert agent for the Republic, he struck a crucial blow against the Empire by exposing and destroying a Sith superweapon arsenal—which makes him the ideal operative for a daring and dangerous mission to end Ascendant Spear’s reign of terror.  

Joined by hot-headed smuggler Teff’ith, with whom he has an inexplicable bond, and wise Jedi warrior Gnost-Dural, Darth Karrid’s former master, Theron must match wits and weapons with a battle-tested crew of the most cold-blooded dark side disciples. But time is brutally short. And if they don’t seize their one chance to succeed, they will surely have countless opportunities to die.

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"Annihilation" Cover Revealed

By: Dominic Jones 

The cover for Drew Karpyshyn's upcoming novel Star Wars: The Old Republic: Annihilation has been revealed over at the official Star Wars: The Old Republic website. The cover features Theron Shan peering around a corner and the back cover reveals what he's looking at, a lightsaber duel between Jedi Master Gnost-Dural and who we can assume is Darth Karrid. The website also featured an interview with author Drew Karpyshyn as an accompaniment to the reveal. Check it out here.

Publisher's Summary: Annihilation is set right after the events of Star Wars: The Old Republic. The Emperor is believed dead and the Sith Empire prepares a massive counter-attack against the Republic spearheaded by Darth Karrid, the former apprentice of Darth Malgus. The instrument of her vengeance is the Ascendent Spear, a devastating warship augmented with the dark side of the Force. Republic agent SIS Theron Shan, his Twi'lek smuggler compadre, Teff'ith, and Jedi Master Gnost-Dural are joined by Jedi Grand Master Satele Shan and Jace Malcom in a fast-paced, tension-fraught thriller.

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The SWU Podcast Episode 36 | 5/15/2012

In this episode of the SWU Podcast, hosts Chris, Jordan, and Savanna are joined by SWTOR expert Martin from The Old Republic Cantina. They discuss the status of the MMO and its latest updates, read this week's Star Wars headlines, and give a comprehensive preview of Disney Star Wars Weekends.



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The Woes of EA, BioWare and SWTOR

By: Martin Coronell-Rodriguez/The Galactic Press

Image Courtesy of EA/BioWare.

These past few weeks have been pretty rough for BioWare Austin, the developer company for Star Wars: The Old Republic, and the publishing company Electronic Arts. From the rumored layoffs of 500–1,000 employees EA was going to do to the subscriptions of SWTOR going down nearly 25%, there hasn't been much of a positive outlook for the game nor for EA or BioWare.

Approximately four weeks ago, a Startup Grind report claimed EA was going to layoff 5–11 percent of its workforce, which would equal about 500–1,000 employees. Layoffs would begin as soon as the end of the week of April 8th.

The story is written by former EA employee and Burnout franchise Product Manager Derek Andersen, and cites multiple sources within the company for the news. Andersen pointed out what have contributed to the layoffs, noting that the MMORPG Star Wars: The Old Republic did not meet internal sales estimates and is facing declining subscription numbers. Additionally, he pointed to Battlefield 3's post-launch marketing campaign, which he reported at an estimated $30 million.

However, EA responded and denied the unconfirmed reports claiming it would lay off 500–1,000 of its employees.

Despite the article explaining the negative contributions of SWTOR and Battlefield 3 and the ongoing internal pressure CEO John Riccitiello is going through, the publisher offered the following statement to MCV after denying the news:

"There are no layoffs as such, we always have projects growing and morphing. At any given time there are new people coming in and others leaving. EA is growing and hiring and building teams to support the growing demand for digital games and services."

And although "seasonal roll-offs" are nothing new for the publisher, it's been a while since mass layoffs hit the company.

Here is also an update that was sent to Joystiq by EA Corporate Communications:

EA is growing and looking to hire hundreds of people for our digital, console, mobile and social games. Like all game companies, we make occasional adjustments to resize teams as projects are completed and new priorities are established. Overall, we expect that headcount will be up at the end of this year.

A while after EA denied the report of its mass layoffs for the company, a confirmation from the publisher indicated that a "small" number of layoffs had been put into effect for the Montréal branch of EA—the branch with the same minds behind Army of Two, SSX and Need for Speed. However, EA noted that the number wouldn't be as expansive as the original numbers that were originally rumored.

According to GamesIndustry.biz International, they received word from EA Corporate Communications that...

"EA Montreal is reorganizing some teams to focus on digital initiatives, including new mobile and social projects," ... "These are routine changes which address the cyclical nature of the game industry. A very small number of employees will be impacted - many will be assigned to new projects at EA, others will leave the company."

"Overall, we expect that EA's headcount will be up at the end of this year."

This basically reinforces what EA stated before, that they would be hiring more than firing by the end of the year.

No official number on the "small" number of layoffs, so there's no way to verify just how many employees have been fired. However, this does contradict what EA had reported denying the rumors saying that "There are no layoffs as such, we always have projects growing and morphing...", which they released to a number of sources.

Regardless, EA had no choice but to deny the layoff reports for the sake of protecting resources, and ensuring that public perception of the publishing company wouldn't be tarnished any further than it already is, which in turn could affect the company's already-low stock price, which has steadily declined by a few points since the Mass Effect 3 fiasco that began in early March.

What the future population of SWTOR might look like.

And if all of that isn't bad news enough from EA, but Star Wars: The Old Republic has lost 400,000 subscribers (a 24% drop of subs), which leaves subs totaling at around 1.3 million active subscribers. That is quite the drop from the 1.7 million reported in February.

EA also blames these drops in subscribers on the casual gamers leaving the sci-fi MMO, and the Eurogamer article highlighted some quotes from an investor call. EA Games Label President Frank Gibeau said this about the significant loss of subs:

"When we launched the product back in December, it was an event launch. We brought in a lot of users, and with a brand like Star Wars, it reaches out much past the hardcore MMO fan base into the broader market."

"And as the service evolves from here, what we're seeing is that some of the initial casual customers have gone through a billing cycle and decided not to subscribe to the game."

I find this quote to be quite interesting, due to the fact that it would traditionally be the hardcore players that would be harder to retain, as opposed to the casual crowd. They grind through the content at a faster pace, and are generally more critical of changes inside a game.

Additionally, EA CEO John Riccitiello made a few statements towards the amount of attention SWTOR is receiving:

The Old Republic is in EA's top 10 franchises in terms of profitability, "but it's not in our top five". "So it's a business contributor, while important, is not as important as Medal of Honor or Battlefield or FIFA or Madden or The Sims or SimCity, but it's more important than Tiger Woods PGA Golf."

"So while I understand there's an enormous amount of interest, I don't know that it warrants as much as what we're seeing right now. But we love the franchise, we're going to grow the franchise and just like we want to see Tiger Woods Golf grow or SSX grow, or Madden for that matter, we're going to drive this one for growth."

I found this really disappointing to hear. It sounds like EA is making the subscriber loss and the potential of the game in general very insignificant—which it isn't at all. Regardless if this is truly the case or if they're adjusting to the current situation, it remains to be seen, but EA should devote a ton of their time and effort into SWTOR. The sci-fi MMO has only been out for less than 5 months, and it has to expand in many ways in order to keep current subscribers, to receive new ones and to regain ones that were lost.

Even though analysts were right with the declining subscriptions, I'm hoping for the best for this game as it has a lot of potential and could bring in a ton of more money for EA and BioWare in the years to come.

Be sure to stay tuned for my appearance on The Star Wars Underworld Podcast, where I'll be talking about Game Update 1.2: Legacy instead of writing it, and get to hear lots more like a more in-depth look on the history of the Old Republic era and already-known information on Game Update 1.3: Allies.

To keep up with all the latest news and updates about Star Wars: The Old Republic, be sure to 'Like' us on Facebook. And for everything that the rest of the Star Wars universe has to offer, please 'Like' The Star Wars Underworld, also on Facebook. Comment, share, and 'like'!

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TOR-iffic Awareness – Events You SHOULD Participate In!

By: Martin Coronell-Rodriguez/The Galactic Press

The new and improved SWTOR website. The aesthetics are very easy on the eyes.

Another TOR-iffic Awareness article here! I will just be recapping the current events going on at The Old Republic Cantina, that I believe none of you should miss! Participating in these events will make the community a great place to go to everyday, where new things will always pop up and everyone would like to mingle with others at any time. Having a community with participation will bind us all together, always helping to bring something fresh to the table and being able to further enhance gameplay on Star Wars: The Old Republic, just the few of many things people already participating would like. I just cannot fathom how some will "support" and then stay in the background, not really putting their effort in a community they were invited to join that they'd possibly like. So please, I urge you all to support us! This would also mean a lot to communities that have been helping us out like The Star Wars Underworld, Order of the Sith, For F***'s sake it's Star Wars, and more (that last page mentioned was censored for the younglings).

Already-drafted, in-game events for The Old Republic Cantina include:

• Beginning the Journey: Even during the very beginning of the game, all of us will add each other and go through our class' starting planet to keep track of our journey. Not all classes start at the same planet, so we will keep track of our adventure until we can all meet together at our faction's respective fleet.
• Underworld Invasions: We will have schedules for raiding bases of the opposite faction and attacking opponents and bosses that would generally require more manpower to take down.
• Datacron Hunting: While going through the planets we will also be hunting down the datacrons. The datacrons will give us a bit of an extra stats buff to our character while giving us a sense of achievement. I plan to collect all the datacrons with all of our group players.
• Flashpoints and Operations Campaigns: As a group or as a guild, we will gather to easily complete planet Heroics, Flashpoints and Operations that would normally be extremely difficult to complete if you're playing solo the entire game.
• R&R: There are many things we'll do to get some more fun out of SWTOR. We will be taking a run through the planets to explore the scenery, listen to the sounds and look at the different species, play Fleet Tag, and have Speeder Racing events with prizes.
• Formation: The Republic/Imperial Underworld!:  Once we get to the capital planet of our faction's planet, I will take my main character for the Empire and the Republic and we shall form both guilds. Those members who do assist me in the creation of these guilds will be given a high-ranking position within the guild.

The in-game events shown above were last mentioned in this article. It'd mean a lot for you to join me and other possible supporters and make a big part of the community from the servers we will be joining—we'd eventually be well-known. We're also trying to reach 200 'likes' by the end of April, so sharing and advertising our page to friends and other communities would be grateful—just make sure you have permission, if needed!

The Old Republic Cantina is now hiring, and we are looking for writers and consultants to collaborative with Chris and I to make more frequent updates on Star Wars: The Old Republic. Here is what I said regarding the information on the recruitment:

If a team is going to be assembled, I would take on the role as the Lead Writer for the team. Chris Seekell would be a consultant for us, and the rest of the team would consist of a few reporters and writers, with more consultants to help the team. You will also receive an administrative position on The Old Republic Cantina page on Facebook, and will have the chance to organize the Imperial and Republic guilds for The Star Wars Underworld. Keep in mind that this is a volunteer-type of service so you will receive no payment. This is because I'm looking for people who want to help The Star Wars Underworld-Old Republic community. This doesn't mean you can't participate in any events that could win you money or a free 60-day subscription, because we will try to organize events that anyone in the community will be eligible to join, whether you're an admin or not, consultant or writer, droid or Wookiee, Quarren or Mon Cala, Jedi or Sith; no matter the preference, most of our events will be held for anyone!

So if you're interested in working with me and Chris Seekell, please send me a message at HomicidalWhales@facebook.com, or preferably, contact me at HomicidalWhales@yahoo.com. Please give me a brief explanation on why you'd like to be part of the team, and if you're applying as a Writer or Consultant. I recommend providing me with related works you've done in any other communities. The deadline is Saturday, April 28, at 11:59pm EST. I will be discussing with Chris and possibly other Star Wars Underworld sponsors on each entry, and then we will choose from there. You will be notified via email or Facebook private messaging, whichever you prefer (make sure you tell us in your message).

Here is the full article, which also explains my disappointing, reoccurring absences.

The Old Republic Cantina is now hosting our first Profile Picture and Timeline Cover Contest! Click here to read the rules on the contest and how you can participate. I'd really love to see what people can do creating Old Republic era pictures! So if you're just an art newbie or an expert and are interested in participating, I highly recommend joining in the festivities!

Cleansing the Galaxy is another newly formed, in-game event The Old Republic Cantina is hosting on Star Wars: The Old Republic. This is the first official, in-game event that is being conducted by the page, and it will all begin on Saturday, April 21^st, at 1pm EST/10am PST. The event will last until Monday, April 23^rd, at 11:59pm EST. For more information on this event, please click here.

^{Thank you all for reading this TOR-iffic Awareness article, and please stay tuned for my upcoming Legacy article, which will I write soon! You all will like what you see about Game Update 1.2—I guarantee it!}

To keep up with all the latest news and updates about Star Wars: The Old Republic, be sure to 'Like' us on Facebook. And for everything that the rest of the Star Wars universe has to offer, please 'Like' The Star Wars Underworld, also on Facebook. Comment, share, and 'like'!

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