MMORPG.com Star Wars: the old Republic columnist Eric Barnett writes this week about three Star Wars games that might provide some inspiration for the devs at Bioware.

Star Wars as an IP has become a bit of a game of poker over the past few years. Sometimes, we the fans are up on the high stakes table cleaning up. Other times were are losing all of our chips, causing us to panic out in the parking lot about how we are going to buy groceries this month. From having to suffer through the dross that was Jar-Jar Binks, to the meme-worth "NOOO!" in Episode 3; fans of this saga have put up with quite a bit. Yet, throughout all of the losses and gains we have remained faithful (if not a bit more salty) to this series that we love. Therefor, being that this has been a slow news week in the Old Republic universe; I'd like to use this week's article to take a look back at the Star Wars game franchise over the years. With the 30th anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back and the announcement of Hoth being in The Old Republic, let's dust off those old titles and look at how these games could influence this fledgling MMO project.

Read A Royal Flush of Nostalgia.

"For now I'd like to leave you with some food for thought; how has Star Wars effected you over the last thirty (or however many) years?"

It's "affected". Just  trying to help as I don't always type things out perfectly here. Here you have Star Wars as a "thing" that is acting on "you" and thus affecting you.

Course you could have rephrased it to "What was the effect that Star Wars had on you?"

Nouns don't "effect", they "affect".

Anyway, I have a feeling that we won't learn all that much new about TOR at E3 as far as the other systems and mechanics outside of Story and character classes. That's the read I get. Bioware's holding Ace/King offsuit and gets a 3, 6,7, 9 and a J at E3. I could be wrong and if so good deal.

Wow, all of those ideas are really cool, but not really what I expect SW:TOR to be like.

I'd love to see real 'in the cockpit' dogfighting action like X-wing but I just can't see them building two different graphics engines into one game and it'd pretty much require that due to the nature of objects in a 3D ceilingless environment. ((I'm just assuming here. I'm not a programmer though so... it's just my guess since I haven't seen it done before.)) I'm expecting space combat, if they have it, to be more like STO though not quite. That sort of 'plane on a stick' 3rd person style.

Combat I didn't see being nearly as fluid as that either. It looked to me more along the lines of a traditional MMO hotbar style with some flare. It would be great if it had AoC style combos and free movement, but I've resolved myself to the probability that it'll be your standard MMO fare. Then if I'm wrong I'll be pleasently surprised. I still want to play the game either way.

Originally posted by Khalathwyr

"For now I'd like to leave you with some food for thought; how has Star Wars effected you over the last thirty (or however many) years?"

 

It's "affected". Just  trying to help as I don't always type things out perfectly here. Here you have Star Wars as a "thing" that is acting on "you" and thus affecting you.

Oh, like how you have two spaces between Just and trying?

Note: why would you would you like to be a simple thug when you can be the criminal mastermind that rules the galaxy (slaves included ofc). The same can be applied to heroes, why save the local grocery store from a robery when you can fight the evil genius in his hidden base inside a volcano.

Im enough humble IRL why would I want to be so in a video game? Id agree to the fact it can be somewhat lame should everyone in say a mmo world be the ultimate hero/villain of all time. Id happily settle for less knowing I could be king then be doomed as a peasant for all time.

As for space combat, come on when will you lads realise that its a bioware game, there will be no space combat or Ill eat my hat. Besides it does suck implimenting such systems, cant think of any mmo that have done so successfully at launch. Id rather have one system that works then two who doesnt.

Jedi Knight series were the most fun Starwars games i've played

I wouldn't hold my breath for much if any space combat, I believe that will be left to the NPCs and storyline while you defend the ship from being boarded or something comparable. I would rather the devs to spend all of their time making an enjoyable MMO without space combat than adding a cludged together space combat system and releasing a disappointing mmo.  Give me WoWesk game play (with 5 years worth of improvements and advances) set in a IP I truly love with one hell of a story line and I'll be happy.

Originally posted by Brif

Originally posted by Khalathwyr

"For now I'd like to leave you with some food for thought; how has Star Wars effected you over the last thirty (or however many) years?"

 

It's "affected". Just  trying to help as I don't always type things out perfectly here. Here you have Star Wars as a "thing" that is acting on "you" and thus affecting you.

Oh, like how you have two spaces between Just and trying?

Yep.

Originally posted by darqserenity

I would rather the devs to spend all of their time making an enjoyable MMO without space combat than adding a cludged together space combat system and releasing a disappointing mmo.

 I can barelry stand TOR graphics, so if the game doesn't even have space combat I'm out, as simple as that.

@OP instead of Jedi Knight I would have chosen Dark Force as for once it's a great SW experience with much less emphasis on glowing sticks.

Now about space combat, even if I'd love an up to date version of X-Wing vs Tie-Fighter I seriously doubt the designers took this route, because it would be way too difficult for most players. However think about an enhanced version of SW Battle Front.

And yes JTL was lame.

If the "space experience" really turns out to be a space combat sim, not making it like TIE Fighter is madness, or even sparta. :P

Though like others, I fail to see the feasibility of making two separate game engines for one game... And engines cut out for RPGs provide something like STO's space combat at best, which is quite underwhelming.

Quote: "n the Old Republic, given that every dev screams story story story, it's pretty obvious that players will be able to insert themselves into the role of a Kyle Katarn if they so choose and play through an ongoing epic adventure. This is a double edged sword however, MMOs today are walking that fine line of "You are the savior of the universe/planet! ... along with that guy... and that guy... and those guys over there." In some situations I'd rather just be a humble smuggler, carving out my small place in existence and just trying to make a living."

There was a game, once upon a time, that allowed you to be a humble smuggler, carving out your small place in existence.  However the company behind the game said that you did not know what you wanted, that you did not want to be the humble smuggler, in fact you wanted to be Han, Luke or Darth.  This game was Star Wars Galaxies.  How dare you sir, fly in the face of what SOE says you want?  They know you better than you know yourself! :P

Sorry, just couldn't resist beating that dead horse again :D

I think alot of people will be eating their hats when this game comes out.  I also foresee them adding space combat if not opening day, in a very soon expansion.  Of course I am just speculating just like the rest of you are and the OP. 

/facepalm

How in gods name did you publish this article without one single refernce to KOTOR?  Tie fighter / KOTOR were the two best SW games ever made IMHO.   Kotor is more on par with SWTOR than anything even mentioned in this article.  Sometimes I wonder about the writers here...

Originally posted by Khalathwyr

"For now I'd like to leave you with some food for thought; how has Star Wars effected you over the last thirty (or however many) years?"

 

It's "affected". Just  trying to help as I don't always type things out perfectly here. Here you have Star Wars as a "thing" that is acting on "you" and thus affecting you.

Course you could have rephrased it to "What was the effect that Star Wars had on you?"

Nouns don't "effect", they "affect".

Anyway, I have a feeling that we won't learn all that much new about TOR at E3 as far as the other systems and mechanics outside of Story and character classes. That's the read I get. Bioware's holding Ace/King offsuit and gets a 3, 6,7, 9 and a J at E3. I could be wrong and if so good deal.

In this particular case you're correct, but nouns can effect also.  Effect as a verb means to make effective or to put into effect.

Tie Fighter was amazing with the Emporers secret order and real space missions that evolved as they progressed with a great story arc through them. Sadly Its pretty much a cert that The Old Republic wont have that sort of Space Combat. The Devs have few kind things to say about Jump to LightSpeed and make no mention of space combat no matter how many times it comes up. ToR is going to firmly be placed in the Fantasy section of the MMO market dispite the possibility to be so much more.

Shadows of the Empire was perhaps the best launch game for the N64 and a real show case, though I wonder just how much of it we will see in ToR. As some of the best fights were the space or snow speed combats and less running and jumping along a train. And I think it even more unlikely we will see ground level flight in ToR after all they are not re-inventing any aspects of the MMO but adding a 4th Pilar that of story or so we are told again and again and again and again and again etc.

The Jedi Knight series does unfortunately also seem unlikely in that one of the best things was going dark side and becoming the new emporer, this certainly wont happen. Likewise many of the great things that made the Jedi Knight or Darkforces games so good was the realistic graphics, video cut scenes etc ToR is instead going stylised graphics. A step back? And being an MMO you aren't going to find you will be able to effect the game world overly much outside of instances, so any chance to cut through the walls and the like are very unlikely outside of a single player zone. Which had to be one of the great things about the game was that it was just cutting up troopers that your lightsaber was good for.

Originally posted by patri0tz

Originally posted by Khalathwyr

"For now I'd like to leave you with some food for thought; how has Star Wars effected you over the last thirty (or however many) years?"

 

It's "affected". Just  trying to help as I don't always type things out perfectly here. Here you have Star Wars as a "thing" that is acting on "you" and thus affecting you.

Course you could have rephrased it to "What was the effect that Star Wars had on you?"

Nouns don't "effect", they "affect".

Anyway, I have a feeling that we won't learn all that much new about TOR at E3 as far as the other systems and mechanics outside of Story and character classes. That's the read I get. Bioware's holding Ace/King offsuit and gets a 3, 6,7, 9 and a J at E3. I could be wrong and if so good deal.

In this particular case you're correct, but nouns can effect also.  Effect as a verb means to make effective or to put into effect.

True. I thought about that later after I wrote it. Either way I was just trying to help the guy out since he's writing an article for a website and there was no malice behind what I wrote. Glad you saw that (and in turn helped me out too) as opposed to the first guy who quoted me who just wanted to nit-pick at someone he thought was being a grammar hound.

Good article but after each one I kept saying to myself, "oh, rogue squadron is next...wait a sec!" While dash takes the cake on the best 64 SW title, rogue squadron is defenitely worth mentioning. I wouldn't be surprised if it gets a little bit of action in SWTOR.

First place they were all fps games basically and there is a world of difference between the two genres. 

Personally Bioware should do their own thing, I'd rather see their own take on the Star Wars IP then copying something from someone else's take.

If you so enjoyed these old games go back and play them, don't ask Bioware to retard their design.

Xwing Alliance was and still is my favourite Star Wars game ever. It beats most of todays competition easily.

Originally posted by harvest151

/facepalm

 

How in gods name did you publish this article without one single refernce to KOTOR?  Tie fighter / KOTOR were the two best SW games ever made IMHO.   Kotor is more on par with SWTOR than anything even mentioned in this article.  Sometimes I wonder about the writers here...

 

I didn't mention KOTOR in this article for the same reason why I did not want to mention Galaxies that much. Eventually you get to the point well beyond beating a dead horse and being that the company worked on KOTOR, it's fairly obvious that it will take some of its cues from that series. In regards to galaxies, I'm sure the team is looking at what worked and what didn't in that MMO, and are striving to create a game that surpasses its predecessor. This article was simply food for thought on an off news week to keep your minds buzzing and to hopefully create a good discussion here in the forums. 

In regards to safety's post, when looking at the combat video I can see where you might have thought that ranged combat was simply stand still and fire. If you look at the whole video however, you see many ranged classes running and gunning around the melee archetypes preforming both snare and knock-back moves. Some attacks look positional which should create a healthy, fast paced combat system. I believe they displayed the ranged classes standing still at times to simply show off the cool combat animations, not as a representation of what the combat will always be like. I'll continue to say however, until I get my hands on the game, I will not pass judgement. I do have high hopes for this title, but after being burned by so many MMOs in the past, I only speak in maybes when it comes to pre-launch.