PVP:Yes | Distribution:Retail | Retail Price:n/a | Pay Type:Subscription
Desktop Client | System Req:
Star Wars: The Old Republic Interviews: Comic Con Interview
MMORPG.com's Carolyn Koh recently attended the San Diego Comic Con. While there, she had the opportunity to speak with Alexander Freed and Dallas Dickinson of BioWare about the highly anticipated Star Wars: The Old Republic.
By Carolyn Koh on July 27, 2009
The time period of Star Wars: The Old Republic was chosen as deliberately as that of Knights of the Old Republic. Set 3,000 years before Darth Vader and 300 years after KotOR, Bioware is able to move around in the time line while keeping the continuity of the Star Wars expanded universe in mind as they write their story.
"Being set in a new time period, we can use the content to weave a new story," said Alexander Freed. "We are telling the story of the origins of the Sith Empire." A different empire than the one of KotOR or the one run by Emperor Palpatine, in SWTOR, the gamer will see the different strata of the Sith Empire; the slaves, the imperial families, the regular middle class, the conquered planets, and of course the upper echelon, the Sith themselves.
Bioware has enjoyed a reputation for excellent story telling. From Baldur's Gate to Neverwinter Nights, from Knights of the Old Republic to Mass Effect, story has driven their games and they are determined to bring that story to an MMO.
"This is larger than anything we've ever done," said Dallas Dickinson, Senior Content Producer. "There are already more lines of dialogue in SWTOR than all the Bioware games put together."
The Knights of the Old Republic was the Jedi story. In the MMO, we are playing the Smuggler, the Bounty Hunter and the Empire Trooper among other yet unrevealed classes. "The class stories are unique and 100% different from each other," said Alexander, "to use a comic book analogy, it's like summer crossovers, where the story weaves through other different characters and stories."
There is great challenge to bringing an IP like this to the MMO genre and part of it is keeping true to the canon of the expanded Star Wars universe, making sure everything in the present continuity is kept in its own time and place. "It's an honor to be writing a version of the Star Wars story," said Alexander. "We will be drawing from the current expanded universe and we've got a huge database that we are constantly referring to and referencing."
Art Director Jeff Dobson promises us a vibrant and colorful world with different looks and feels for each planet. "We've developed our own style. It is realism but in Bioware's own style. Each planet has its own signature palette of colors," said Jeff.
;)
The visual differences between the classes are harder to read in Star Wars, but they will be there in the game. "We won't have huge shoulder armor in SWTOR," said Jeff, "but there will be plenty of visual cues to distinguish the different classes from each other. A bounty hunter will look different from a smuggler, and a Sith from a Jedi." The color palette will also help with blacks, reds and purples representing the Sith and blues, greens and browns representing the Jedi.
"Lando and Han had different looks," Dallas remarked, "but you'd never mistake either for bounty hunters."
"Both the bounty hunter and the smuggler are gun classes," added Jeff. "Han Solo epitomizes the look of the smuggler. Lithe, quick and lightly, if at all, armored. Boba Fett is the bounty hunter with heavy armor."
All classes will also have their ranged as well as close combat skills. "Players will be able to use weapons to put their targets back into the correct range for their primary weapon skill," said Dallas, "A stun for example, so you can run up and engage in close combat or move further away for ranged combat."
Combat will be easy to get into, especially in the lower levels. The game will be designed for solo as well as group play. "SWTOR is not just about the single player experience," said Dallas, "It's an MMO and will contain the various features one expects to find in an MMO."
;)
We spoke on the nuances in the classes next. Gamers may play the same class, but may play them very differently. At character creation, players choose to be Light or Dark, but regardless of their class and affiliation, players make decisions along their career that shift them toward the light or dark, and the powers they attain will reflect that.
Qui-gon Jin was brought up as the definitive "grey" Jedi. He is a Jedi, but was one who would do things his way. As to whether one could tip over to the other, Dallas would not confirm nor deny if that feature was in the game.
There will be a lot of iconic hero and villain characters in the game. Players will meet them as they move along their class stories and they will meet other class iconic characters in quests as well, although to know their story in game, they will have to play the other class.
In true Bioware style, the decisions players make in game will change their entire play experience of that quest. "There will be real impact to player decisions," said Dallas, "there's no SAVE button in an MMO."
"One specific answer in a quest line won't be a decision that makes the player hate his character," Alexander elaborated. "It's not like I've offered you 12 cups of tea and you've accepted everyone but I jump on you for accepting the 13th for no other reason than it's the 13th cup."
;)
You don't spoil your character with a single decision. It is a cumulative effect. Of course some decisions are more monumental than others and we saw that in the play through at E3 where the decision to kill or not kill the Shuttle Captain changed the entire game play experience for the player. Just remember... it is a Bioware game. You will also have companion characters that will be affected by your decisions. At this time in the development of the game, we are only told that the usual MMO features will be in game. Yes, there will be PvP in game, with the mechanics revealed at a later date. Crafting, auction houses and the galactic economy will be in game. There won't be permanent death, but the death mechanic is also not something they are ready to talk about.
"We don't want to talk about features we ourselves have not decided upon or fleshed out," said Dallas, "We don't want to tell you something about the game that may or may not change three months down the road."
The game is going to be massive as well as immersive. Bioware has expanded their studios greatly and we are told of studios in Austin, Taiwan as well as Singapore. It will be the first of its genre to be fully voiced with interactive conversation and quests that actually change gameplay, making for an immersive experience, connecting players to the story and game universe. For now though, we wait. Practice patience young padawan, and choose wisely when the time comes.
Pretty hard to get excited about the game when they just keep telling us the same things over and over again.
Yeah and they have repetedly said the "There's no save button in an MMO" thing to the extent I think they didn't know that and feel they have to enlighten everyone else. I know BioWare makes good games, but this trickle of information we have been getting could bite them in the ass. In the absence of info people let their imaginations run wild and a game will rarely meet the expectations one has built up in their head. The only new thing I read was a new form of death mechanics. Skill based system with sp loss at death sort of like EVE?
Thanks for the interview mmorpg.com
Unfortunately and at no fault of your interviewer, but BioWare/La are stuck in not being able to tell us anything else beyond what they've already told us. We have to keep in mind the cat got let out of the bag before they were ready to tell the world about the game and we are now feeling the affects.
All, good, when they have info to tell us, I'm sure they will, just sucks having to wait for it
Did they just misspell Qui-gon Jinn there? :)
Other than that it's pretty much all standard talk we've heard so far, nothing all that new.
OK, if you disreguard the "choose your own adventure" aspect of the linear progression and drawing out the grind with VO (as apposed to clicking through dialog) there still remains a question.
What makes this Level/Class based IP MMOG different than what has been introduced before?
What I see is a refinement of policies LEC believes makes a better, iconic and starwarsy experiance minus the excessive drag of entertaining, resources collecting, heavy death penelty, decay and player housing. I guess the real downturn in playing is making a bad set of chioces in your progression and ending up with a character you don't want to play. Funny that, another reason to abandon during play. Hmm, maybe they need to investigate player freedoms a little more.
Ummmm....
Empire Troopers?
Choosing alignment at character creation?
Some new info here, guys.
Since this game is probably a 2011 release to start with how much detail can they give you at this time? Not a whole lot because most things are not set in stone yet. So why complain about it, they are going to be giving you generalities all of this year and most of next.
If they started giving more detail, I would question their sanity.
Sith families? Interesting concept.
What bothers me the most is that they haven't even fleshed out things like death. Death in an MMO occurs pretty frequently. You would think they'd have some idea of how they want to handle it by now, especially if they're showing a public demo in a month.
That's because MMO gamers aren't their only target. They're also very much interested in garnering the attention of single player gamers, console gamers and non-gaming Star Wars fans. They have to keep reiterating terminology that isn't familiar to this type of audience.
After all things are considered, current MMO gamers may not even be the primary target audience. There are probably a lot of people who go to Comic Con who are not gamers.
OK it's got more dialog than all the Bioware games put together...OK we get it. It is story driven...OK we get that, too. Now what about the rest of the game? Is it going to be an MMORPG or a Star Wars version of Guild Wars, because that is what it is beginning to sound more and more like.
I agree, at the very earliest we're looking at a late 2010 release. Either way though I agree, you can't really expect huge hunks of information when a game is so early in its development. This is why I am not very excited about this game yet, there really isn't any point in getting all hyped up when the launch is so far away...
-Ethnine-
There's nothing wrong with a well-done Star Guilds. Thrown in a little bit of Diablo itemization, a quality PvP element. better replayability and end-game raid dungeons and I'd be happy to play it.
It's Star Wars...it's Bioware...its during the Sith Empire. Sounds shitty right? (sarcasm off). I'm glad they aren't telling us new stuff everyday...it's the hype of past mmos that truly was the downfall at launch. I'll play this game if they never say another word about it until release. I'd prefer it that way...I can make my own judgements...but only after I actually play the damn thing.
It won't matter to the whiny doomspeakers though...If Bioware says too little.....then the game probably not any good anyway..fail. Too much...and it won't live up to the hype...or as others percieve..promises of the developers...thus fail...and Bioware is eternally despised and a bunch of liars. If they release it too soon and add features later..then they are again "liars" and all the features ever possible should have been in the game already...fail. If they wait until it has all they claim and more...then it would've taken too long...and snore...again fail. If it comes out perfect....satisfying all expectations and promises..revolutionizing the industry of mmo's and gaming in general..with 10x the content of any game and 2x the player base of WOW...and weekly updates..no bugs..pays you to play it and makes you a sandwich for the privilege...washes your car and wipes your ass...then people will make shit up to bitch about. It's always "fail" to some people.
So very true.
All that matters at the end of the day is that those of us who enjoy playing games are in the games doing exactly that, than worrying about all the other crap going on around us, escaping the world for a few hours a day is relief enough for me =).
I'm fine with them not promising the world to us right now, remember what happened to WAR?
Everyone was pissed when they couldn't deliver what the talking head, Paul Barnett, was promising.
QFE
The people (especially the people on these boards) cannot be pleased. It is impossible. Regardless of what BiOWare would do, people would still bitch.
So while, on an emotional level, I want more and new information just as much as the next person, I salute BioWare for their efforts to keep info flow exclusive to the things that they have 120% confirmed.
PLUS, people who have paid closer attention to the ComicCon Interviews actually got some news out of them. Like Item-Customization and Skill-Trees/Healing via Skill-Tree specialization, not dedicated Healing Classes.
To be honest, I would be completely happy if this game was just SW:KOTOR's 3,4,5,6,7,8,9 and 10 with multiplayer elements. I have absolutely loved every game that Bioware has come out with and I don't see any reason to believe that this will not also be a success. It is way too early for you people to be bitching about this game and comparing it to other games. If BioWare sticks with it's winning formula, you know what this game will play and feel like but on a much grander scale.
I can't understand those actively upset over the supposed lack of information. As if any MMO, major or minor to any degree, has released any more so soon. Of course, it's the same reaction every time: GIEF MOAR OAR FAIL!
One thing to consider is that MMO gamers were not Blizzard's prmary target, either. I only bring this up because Bioware, EA, Lucasarts, and everyone else associated with this project have stated vehemently that they are aiming a rocket launcher at the target on WoW's back. Does it dilute the game? Sure, for the intelligent and/or experienced gamer, but Bioware is capable of pretty consistently crafting stories that allow most people to suspend their disbelief. The fact that they are not aiming this at the hardcore MMO audience might, in fact, be its biggest saving grace.
This "interview" sounds a lot like someone sitting at a press conference and taking notes from two people who are using the PC Gamer preview as a script.
Can't wait for the game, but the only new thing here was that every class is going to have a 'stun' skill.
ComicCon is a huge convention, somewhere between 100,000 to quater a million people and as said beofre a lot of these people may have only heard veryt little if anything about TOR and so this is for people at the con to get a first look.
They are at the COMIC CON. Obviously they are NOT talking to the core MMORPG audience. They are talking to a general audience and star wars fans.
I am sure not every gamer (and potential gamer) in the world knows taht "there is no save button in an MMO" .. that is if they know what a MMO is.
My feelings exactly m8ee. What i am expecting from Bio is a big KOTOR 3 with MMO 'stuff'. This alone would be enough for me in any form, and with this expectation i wont be disappointed. Anything beyond, and indeed *IF* they manage to nail this as proper growed up MMO, then its all bonus cake to me
we hear all about the story side of the game, but why no word on anything else? Is this their way of avoiding saying they are making wow with cut scenes i wonder
umm. empire troopers, what are they exactly, because if the era chosen for the game is 300 years after kotor, but 3000 years before the films, then, these guys werent created yet, as they were created by palpatine from jango fetts dna or whatever, which i assume he will in effect be born some in 2980 years time or something ? of course, im no expert on the star wars mythos, but even i remember that from the films.
Interviewing devs on the floor of Comic Con is tough and the panel host had done a darn good job wringing all he could out of them just prior. The problem really, with a game at this stage of development is there isn't much to release. As Dallas said to me, they don't want to talk about things that they themselves haven't decided upon. Rather than subject readers to line after line of "We are not talking about that yet." I left that all out and summarized the real information I gathered.
No. of classes... maybe 2 more... 10... 20... Skill development? Tree? Is there a Jedi class? A Sith class or are they earned? Completely mum. I thought that the possibilithy of "grey" Jedi was interesting. But... chance of flipping over like Anakin? Sorry. Can't say.
I have to respect the wish not to be saying 3 months down the road having said they are doing "A B C" at an interview, that they are not doing "A B C" but "C D E" because "things change" - some Devs in the past have done that. I would see the answers change from convention to convention - not to mention the one time information given at PAX was different than information being given out at Munich during the same week...
We did have a bit of exchange about philosophy, the psychology of close combat and how exciting the project was. :)
umm. empire troopers, what are they exactly, because if the era chosen for the game is 300 years after kotor, but 3000 years before the films, then, these guys werent created yet, as they were created by palpatine from jango fetts dna or whatever, which i assume he will in effect be born some in 2980 years time or something ? of course, im no expert on the star wars mythos, but even i remember that from the films.
The Empire they speak of is the Sith Empire. You didn't read the article did you? lol
we hear all about the story side of the game, but why no word on anything else? Is this their way of avoiding saying they are making wow with cut scenes i wonder
Name an MMO (hell, name a game) that didn't focus its hype machine on its biggest selling point for the first several months.
It is no small push they're making in this genre.
ok, we get it, the story will be great. its what we love bioware for adn despite the game being labeled as a MMO i will proly play it for the sake of the story. but if it doesnt offer anything else besides the story, I will not stay subscribed. the reason is simple - I expect more from a game labeled as MMO. and im getting more and more concerned for the lack of info about any kind of PVP. I mean cmon, SW universe and this setting in particular offer so many possibilities for player driven content, I want battles like the one from the trailer on a daily basis. I want to be able to built my own death star and wtfpwn that pity planet of your :) ok, I went a bit too far, but they can add guild-type content like building base, ships and stuff. the possibilities are endless, hope they do something
This game is going to be super.
It will have all the best aspects of any MMO, but it will add story, decisions and consequences for the player, and its FULLY VOICED.
Having the player choosing with option to take in a quest is very different than just reading and doing whatever is set in front of you.
I will have a blast playing this MMO, and BioWare will do a great job, they always do.
Just look at their past games: Baldurs Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Kotor, Jade Empire, Mass Effect... All top games.
Mrh. No new info, but I can quite live with that. BioWare does a great job of telling us one-hundred percent what we're getting, before anything else. They don't give out info that they're not 100% sure is in the game, which is just icing on the cake.
As for the Empire Troopers..uhm, dude. There were Troopers like that during The Old Republic. Sith Troopers. Palpatine didn't 'start' them, technically. They already existed, though Empire Troopers are more on the terms of the Galactic Empire, and not the Sith Empire, as someone said, before. The Sith Empire is different from Galactic, by a loooong shot..
There's a 3300 year difference, in total, between the time of The Old Republic when Revan, and Malak were still alive, to the point where Palpatine established the Empire Troopers. And that was the Clone Army, by the way. Jango Fett's DNA was used to produce a sort of Clone Army. Not exactly Empire Trooperish. Clone Trooperish, I think.
Anyways, in the span of 3300 years, in total? I think..do you honestly believe Troopers of some kind wouldn't have been conceived before then? It's a long time to not think of troopers, especially when the Republic has Troopers of their own.
Onto the topic, BioWare will deliver a fine experience. Even if it's Guild Wars x 10, I'll enjoy the crap out of this baby. For months. Maybe even a year. Hell, This might be my new addiction. Who knows. But I know it will be an experience not to miss. ;D
And the only thing that's got me wondering is..well. Will there be KOTOR references, perhaps? The existence of Revan is known he's dead, same with Malak, but will there be references to him, or not? I also wonder about HK-47. He's lived for like..dear god. 3000+ years, if SWG is to be somewhat counted. I only count it slightly, but the fact remains; HK-47 is likely still alive, for all intents and purposes, and I want to know if he'd be in game, or if there'd be a reference to him as we..
Sort of like to know all the possible companions and possible Romances in the game, too, as it was stated there'd be those in. Other than that, I can -live- without knowing anything else. ;D
As we get closer to a beta/release date we will get more real info, right now I am hearing mostly what I expected.
And yes I expected them to be prettty mum on many details until they work them out.
over selling is a real bitch to overcome at release. So manage your users expectations carefully.
we are have our expectations managed well.
Awesome-ness. Its not old information. its WHY they chose this time period.