I'm playing this game on principle alone.

Truth be known, I would have preferred an "Ivalice Online" over these races again.

Never liked any of 'em except for Tarus and of course, Humans. (Gotta have humans!).

What I really would have liked would have been an entirely new look, but sticking with FF tradition of re-interpreting classic myths and legends from earthly lore.

I am also sick and tired of Elves vs. Orcs (although FFXI orcs were possibly the most original design I've seen yet in fantasy).

I would have loved to have been a moogle (like the ones from XII.. best design!)

This game better not end up like EQ2.

Originally posted by Rydeson

Originally posted by ktanner3

Originally posted by sablephoenix

Speak for yourself, OP. The fact that there's going to be story is the reason I'm buying this game after leaving the MMO genre. While the things you mentioned are important, for me, this is a Bioware game and I'm expecting story. GOOD story. I'll pay $15 a month for an evolving story.

 

So will I . I damn sure won't pay for another game that is buggy,laggy,forces grouping and caters to the people who love grinding and playing house.

 

lol

 And I sure as hell won't pay for KoTOR 3 on a monthly subscription..  I play casually, so why would I want to pay monthly for a game that should be played on the Xbox or PS3 at my own pace.. OMG.. There are many of online console games that don't ask you to pay monthly, so why should TOR be any different.. or is Bioware, really that greedy and desperate.. or are customers really that foolish with money?

1: Not on consoles. PC only.

2: NOT Kotor3, really...

3: Not greedy and desperate. I don't like the idea of paying monthly either, but a simple fact is that when there is a constant revenue flowing in for a game of such massive scope, it ensures (in theory) that the servers will not be laggy, customer support is at your beckon-call and that new content and major updates can be integrated into the game. Think of it as paying for a service.

On that last note, if you pay $60 for the original game, you will probably get your first month free. If you pay $12 a month after that, think of it as extending the life of a game, indefinitely. SOrt of a comic book, or magazine subscription, if you will.

 HEY MODERATORS, CLOSE THIS THREAD!

 Hahaha.. nice try.

They've already stated you can't skip the story. It will most likely be like KotOR where you can skip the audio, but you still have to read the dialogue (if you are smart and hopefully literate) and make a choice.

I still don't get why people are complaining about this.

Who seriously doesn't want a DIFFERENT online experience?

Ask me why I've never even played WoW sometime. If I want cookies, my girlfriend can bake 'em. I want a multi-layered cake, covered with icing and a surprise filling, not some duplicate snack that I have to pay for.

 I think we've exhausted this topic. They are focusing on story whether you like it or not. I happen to like it.

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Originally posted by Draccan

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Originally posted by Nicrox

 

I'd rather have a sandbox mmo where its player driven and NOT a linear storyline that would make a sane person insane with boredom.

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Hear hear!
I would add that the addition of story lines, story arcs, things that tie in to different paths of your characters destiny (say you are a bounty hunter and there were like five different story paths to follow) simultaneously with your own creation of a story, then that is fine.
But story can only really exist in a meaningful way if the majority of it is played out under freedom of choice. Great crafting and ressource system is a component of that, as well as world pvp, player housing and player cities - preferably with some forms of city government system. Covert ops could play a part too. Player driven economy is the absolute cornerstone of meaningful story creation.
I am sick and tired of Bioware taking the mmo genre and dumb it down so much and claim that the players don't want freedom of choice in their stories. That all we went is to be guided by hand. I strongly believe many players who are now excited about TOR will rebel the minute they understand just how singular this gaming experience will be after all..
 

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None of us has actually played the game, so this speculation goes a bit to far IMO. You have no idea how much "sandbox" time there will be in between story-arc missions. There could be quite enough to get your self-made story "written".

I was intrigued by the part where you mentioned "freedom of choice...great crafting [is a] component of [story]." and "Player driven economy is the absolute cornerstone of meaningful story creation."

If I wrote stories about my crafting experiences in SWG for example you would be bored to death.

"My gas harvesters on Dantooine caught fire because I neglected them while hunting Ewoks on Endor with my Empire character" is a really shitty story. It's also about as thrilling a tale as "Man, the recession was so apparent at the banking terminals after the new game engine was introduced. I remember when SWG's economy was BOOMING... before the dark times... before the NGE."

Save those "stories" for OOC chat with your guild buddies. If I'm playing STAR WARS I want a friggin' engaging story. A good story; well written and presented. I want something to happen in a cutscene that is so damn cool I want to chat about it OOC in the cantina with other players. Stuff like "have you done the mish with the cave in the jungle on Tython? Man, I shouldn't even tell you what comes at the end of that mission... but I want to show you the items you get soooo bad... look, just go do it, it's so fucking cool!" Especially if I'm paying for it. My imagination is free, I don't want to pay them a monthly fee to "use my imagination". I want the product to actually suspend my disbelief for a few hours.

EDIT: or ignore what I've said and watch the new video. I refuse to believe you don't want this aspect in a SW MMO. Did you even play Kotor?
 

Wow, this thread turned into a flame war right quick ;)

A buddy of mine got lost in FFXII because he kept skipping cutscenes and had no idea what the FF was going on. We all had a laugh because he sucks at games with no story as well.

Bottom line is SOME people care about story some don't. Most "blockbuster" movies have a story so thin that it needs to be masked by action sequences and special effects. But with no story whatsoever, then how will you be immersed in any sort of fantasy? Do you get a "vivid imagination discount" at the box office?

There are plenty of ways to enjoy Star Wars without the story. Like the prequels, for example! The story simultaneously sucked and blew. Hell, The Force Unleashed had a decent premise, even if the story's execution was weak. It was still engaging enough that I cared to some degree what the characters' fates were. It also had gameplay, button-mashy though it might have been.

If you want no story elements, then don't play games like this, or any standard breed RPG either. Play puzzle and sports games or multiplayer-only FPS's and stop complaining when a dev team emphasizes story. I for one welcome any effort to engross the user in the world presented to him.

EDIT: Anyone else think this thread should be closed? What else is there to discuss about a book we haven't read?

 I find it hilarious when people say "reading is boring" lol.

Anywho, you're in luck because the entire game is voice acted.

I love Star Wars.

I loved SWG, then I hated it. Then I hated it even more when they tried to make it a pseudo FPS with out-of-the box Jedis. I hated how nothing about it fit into the timeline they were pushing.

I loved KoTOR. KoTOR came to an end.

I don't want another MMO that plays like WoW, EQ, FFXI, or anything like it. 

If I play the hell out of, say, a Bounty Hunter and get to the "End" of the game, so be it. I just hope that it will be a sweet ride. If it is then I will try another class.

I would rather they make a shorter MMO "Story" as long as it is a high quality one. I would rather they make the small quests and dicking around fun than having the most elite shit.

I believe in good things coming to an end. And by end, I mean end... not just being level 75 and doing another raid of some "challenging" dungeon... or fighting "the gods" again and again.

So what if it ends? Save a bit of cash by pausing your account until new content comes out, or start again with a different character.

Plain and simple.

 This guy pretty much says it all in this blog.

This is an example of what I DON'T want. Goddamned Dunes!

What I really want is more concrete info and images of the game.

thanks for the description, maybe I'll give it a shot when I have some free time

I don't get it, PvP or PvE... or is it PvP with enemies in each arena?

tomatoes are a member of the nightshade family, like peppers.

Now is this an action RPG? Or does it play like other MMORPGs, even if it isn't an MMO, specifically?

ummm... could someone DESCRIBE the game and why it sucks/doesn't suck??

so far it's just bitching about computers, or listing games you have played on other systems. I'm kind of curious, but I don't want to waste my time.

Based on the last post, I have a decent comp, I have a decent net connection, None of my friends play this game and wtf is a lag ho?

well besides all the specifics, Salamander just said it: "Ill try again someday"

You guys playing the game now might as well accept that you are still in beta -- except you are paying for its development yourselves.

Remember how PS3 cost a billion dollars when it came out and nothing worked well on it??? All the launch titles sucked? Remeber that? It's okay now.

Just wait it out and we will see if this game becomes solid or just goes the way of SWG.

I have to say, this game might not be the most engaging/fun MMO, but it feels like FF and that is mostly due to the excellent controls. Seriously good with a controller.

If you're playing on PC, grab a USB XBox controller. Best option IMO.

I'm thinking thrice, actually.

I love how this topic became a flame war between Tsukuie and Singsofdeath.

I can't even tell who supports the game and who deosn't between you anymore! I just know I DON'T support it, though I am definitley intrigued by where the whole mess is going (the Game's mess, not forum browsers)

I feel bad for everyone involved.. even FunCom- they're not trying to screw anyone over. I doubt anyone would be pissed if there were no monthly fees ;)

Originally posted by TsukieU

A FPS grinding game?  Sad.

Cracked out forum poetry is sadder.

Just like DvD's, just like HD, just like anything brand new, MMO's are TERRIBLE at launch.

I just lie in the cut until I know it's either a) solid as a rock, or b) squishy as a sponge (a monthly fee absorbing sponge ;))

I played the beta for AO when it came out... then I bought it. It sucked hard at the start, so I canned my account. Then I got curious and logged back in years later and, it was vastly imporved. That was just an example, I don;t play it anymore.

Give it time, it's too early to say whether it's good OR bad. At least it's well presented.

Wow... I remember the first time I "cursed" in EQ... I lost a level and like, 20 GM's showed up to wash my mouth out with soap. Then tey put a "swearing" filter in the game.

At least my frustration didn't get me banned; they protected the kiddies with a filter. Probably no worse than what their parents say while watching the superbowl, or doing their taxes.

Fix the BUG, not the PAYING CUSTOMER. Imagine a restaurant that has bad service and the customer "takes advantage" of a server and gets a whole lot of free sauce, or extra soup, or something, and that server is willing to bring it to them. FIRE THAT SERVER and make sure the customer realizes that they have to pay for extras in the future.

I'm assuming the banned user PAYED for hs original game and PAYED for the damned monthly fee (two months now?)... so what is that, over $100? Well over if he bought the limited edition.

Just do what FFXI did, Jailtime, and then back in the game. I guess FC and Hyboria is a Fascist regime.