I distinctly recall telling my best bud the other day that my next article on this blog would not be about SWTOR. However, today marks an important day in my three year wait for one of the most anticipated MMOs in the known universe.
Today, I officially pre-ordered the Collector’s Edition for Star Wars: The Old Republic.
Though I did share many of the same concerns with it as another blogger friend MMOGC (and I didn’t particularly love BioWare for not including an artbook with the CE package), sentimentality won me over. As I said, I’ve been following this game for years, and when I weighed the pluses and minuses of getting the CE, I decided I wanted to be able to say I purchased the best of the best package for this game.
And what a package it is, too.
Tasty
Like I said above, I’m not thrilled that an artbook was not included in the CE, because that is one of the most appealing aspects of these editions. However, EA did — damn it — make a very smart move by selling the artbook separately. It’s not even a question for me if I’ll buy the artbook on its own. I’m already chalking it up as just an extra expense — but one that is seemingly well worth it, considering the quality of artwork that has come out of BioWare during this game’s development.
The rest of the package contains enough goodies to make it worth my money, in my own personal opinion. The metal case looks very nicely detailed, classy (much more so than a cardboard case), and should look very nice on a shelf. Plus, I’m certain I can find uses for the other non-digital goodies that come with the CE.
I’ve always been a fan of history, history books, memorandums and journals, so the Journal of Master Gnost-Dural sounded more and more like something I could enjoy. Especially considering how well-presented BioWare tends to make their lore-themed goodies.
The statue is something a bit different. I don’t have a Star Wars-themed man cave, or anything of the sort. Most of my knickknacks and decorative pieces have a Native American feel to them, so there is a certain concern that a giant Sith Lord might stick out like a bruised thumb with a wart on it (I know, ew). That said, I’ve never been afraid to add something crazy to shake up the normalcy (just ask my friends if they remember when I shaved my head, or my dread-braids teens [DO NOT ASK]). Besides, if nothing else having Malgus there might give me a reason to share the humorous story of the time I nearly went batshit crazy waiting for a damn video game to release.
The galaxy map is something else, entirely. I’m not sure if I will ever use it. But once again, sentimentality DEMANDS that I have it — just so I can say that I do, and nothing more. Think about it like a movie poster you have from back when. You may never hang it up, but you can at least say you have it.
I must confess, the digital goodies are the real selling point of this CE. That is the main reason why I strongly considered buying the Digital Deluxe Edition of SWTOR, instead of the CE. The DDE has all the digital goodies of the CE (minus two), but none of the hard copy treats.
Included among the digital goodies within the CE are:
A Flare Gun. Which brings to mind visions of the Hope trailer.
A training droid. Where would Luke have been without this bad boy?
A holodancer. (I can already imagine setting up this thing and /dancing with it during those boring Op/flashpoint lulls.
A holocam. If this functions like what I am envisioning, this could be a brilliant way of making ingame tools to help the video editing fiends out there make their own SWTOR films.
The Stap, an exclusive mount only available in the CE & DDE copies of the game (which kind of reminds me of a souped up, army-fied version of Dr. Robotnik's vehicle.).
A mouse droid, one of the two items that are only available in the Collector's Edition of the game. I mean, come on, look at how wicked that thing is -- It's like having your own personal mechanical floor sweeper.
Finally, an exclusive in-game store, the second of the two CE-only items. This one brings to mind a million little questions, but I like what it implies. So long as the items are mostly cosmetic, I could see this being a wicked idea (not that I have to worry about it anyway -- I bought the CE.).
I don’t necessarily see the two CE-only digital goodies being strong enough to suggest buying the CE on their own. But if someone were to ask me, I would say, “Buy the CE — if you want something substantial to memorialize the 3+ years of agony most of us have suffered waiting for this game to release.”
If you’ve waited breathlessly on the official site for every trickle of info-
-If you’ve waded through pages and pages, sites and sites, articles and articles, sifting through every shred of info on this game that you could find-
-If you’ve hung in there while others have fallen off the wagon, trusting that some day soon you would have the game in your hands-
-If you’ve done any of those things, buy the CE.
I’ve come to think of it as a tribute. A tribute to the patience I never knew I had. A tribute to the new friends I would have never met without this long wait. Hell, I even look at it as a tribute to personally witnessing the epicness of gamer bitching (some have spent the last three years bitching non-stop, yet they still go back to read and watch anything they could find on SWTOR).
When I made the decision to shell out $150 bucks for the CE, I didn’t do it lightly. I contemplated, considered all options, reconsidered all options, and finally came to realize that it just meant enough to me to have a hard copy of the game to serve as a reminder of all the time I’ve invested in following a video game. I’ve never followed one for as long, or as fervently, as SWTOR. I may never do it again. But at least the CE will always be there on my shelf to remind me that even I fell victim to the tireless waiting that a gamer feels when they try to dig deep for patience while a title is still in development.
I’m looking forward to the day this CE arrives at my house and I sign for it. Since I’m now registered for the testing, the day it arrives may not be the first time I’ll see the game. But having the hard copy in my hands, opening the metal case, leafing through Master Gnost-Dural’s journal, and finding a place to put it on my shelf, makes me feel a little triumphant. I’m not sure why, but it does.
However everyone else decides to purchase this game, I look forward to the day when we all are in-game.
Just think, this time next year, the agonizingly long three year wait for SWTOR will just be a memory.
On that day, I’mma look at my Malgus statue next to my stomp dance gourd and shrug with a contented sigh… You know, right before I jump into another warzone and claim some Jedi bears.
After having had a day to recover from the “excellence seizure” I experienced following the release of Return, the new cinematic for Star Wars: The Old Republic, I feel like I am finally coherent enough to post my thoughts on it.
… Wicked. Just freaking sick. Gorgeous. Beautiful. Epic. Brilliant. I feel like there aren’t enough adjectives to use for it (certainly none that do it adequate justice).
This new cinematic, made by the geniuses at Blur, may be the closest any piece of Star Wars media has come to capturing what made the original trilogy so enduring. It had everything: the cocky Smuggler, who talks a good game, but fights a better one; the Jedi master, who sacrificed himself for the survival of his padawan; the Padawan, destined for great things, though they, themselves, do not yet realize it; the Sith lords, cloaked and ominous; a pulse-pounding lightsaber duel featuring some of the best choreography ever seen in Star Wars – you name it, this cinematic had it in spades.
I’m positive that everyone had their own reasons for loving the cinematic. For me, I couldn’t help but think of all the minute details from the previous two trailers (Deceived and Hope) that suddenly have a new coat of context applied to them.
-After seeing Return, I feel like I finally understand that look of utter fury and pain on Satele Shan’s face in Hope as she Force-doukened (trademark pending) Darth Malgus into the mountainside. At the time, I wondered why she looked so pissed — now I know why.
This is for my master!
-I understand now why Satele had such a rough time trusting the Sith in ToP. It would be a little hard to trust anyone who launches surprise attacks, especially considering your own master was the victim of one of them.
-I can now see the evolution of Darth Malgus in three parts.
1) Ascension (apprentice who kills his master when he has surpassed him);
2) Lesson learned (commander who leads his forces to battle, but suffers his first defeat, learning of his own mortality);
3) Master (a battle-hardened, much wiser Sith, utterly sure of his own skills in both lightsaber combat and tactics, kills a Jedi Master in one-on-one combat and leads his armies in a successful sacking of the Republic’s capital city.).
-The trooper on Alderaan, the one who watched one his fellows die right beside him in Return. I get why he was so relentless in Hope, why he was willing to set off a frag grenade right in his own face, just to damage his enemy.
All of these don’t even take into account the events of the novels, which also gain a new perspective. The motivations behind some key characters got a spotlight shown directly on them with Return.
This cinematic series would work well if seen in the order Return, Hope, Deceived - but actually, I like the reverse chronology BioWare used in the cinematics.
I felt like BioWare made the smartest move possible with this last cinematic, focusing on both the Empire & Republic. The two previous cinematics felt like propaganda videos for one or the other side; Return felt like a welcomed showcase of both sides.
Other than the narrative tie-ins, there were too many reasons to love this cinematic to name all of them. The Smuggler (oh my goodness, so badass), the dual-dual-wielding-weapon-Jedi (yes, I typed that right [the double-bladed light saber is supposed to be a dual-wield weapon]), finally getting some light shed on why Malgus was dual wielding lightsabers (though I did laugh at some who suggested it was a hint at respec. XD), Satele Shan (love the new design), etc. The cinematic was so crispy, I’m getting baked just thinking about it.
As one poster on Darth Hater said, this is “the first that actually felt like the original trilogy.” I can agree with this statement 100%.
There are still several days of E3 left. There should be any number of things that we will learn from the con before it is all said and done, but this is, without a doubt in my mind, the best way they could have begun their SWTOR promotion.
Here is the video — courtesy of realdarthhater — for your viewing pleasure:
-but leave it to my wrath, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay.”
Alright alright, so it was God who said that, but I think it is an apt quotation now that I’ve seen my (at least PvP) AC path in SWTOR.
Say hello to your friendly neighborhood Vengeance Juggernaut.
Chooser of the living, chooser of the slain
In case you’ve been hiding under a rock with your fingers plugging your ears going “lalalalala”, then you know that today’s Friday Update for Star Wars: The Old Republic included a sneak peek at a new comic upcoming called The Lost Suns (which incited a particularly satisfying display of QQ rage), a few tidbits of what can be expected from SWTOR at E3, and finally, an update to the Advanced Classes page on the official site.
While the first two pieces of the update were not without their merits, even if people didn’t all see them (Eternity Vault? Try and convince me this is not going to be the first raid shown in the game.), the AC update, understandably, took center stage.
I’ve never seen so many nerdragers backpedal so quickly. It was beautiful. BioWare deserves a bully for such a well-played match.
This may be the first really tangible material that players can use to plan the first stages of their game time experiences. Many of us had an idea what class we would play, and some even may have felt certain they knew which AC they were destined for, but this is the first time we, as players, have been given a glimpse of the various ability trees we can dive into in order to make our characters our own.
*Go to the Advanced Classes page and select the Sith Warrior-Juggernaut. Now, read the tooltip for the Vengeance ability “Unstoppable”. Combine that with an ability Georg Zoeller mentioned that changes your Force Choke from a castable ability into an instant cast, and you have a recipe for a “CK” (caster killer), which should explain at least part of my excitement.
As launch — seemingly — draws closer, I find myself thinking about things in real time. I’ll look at a video of Tatooine and think, “As soon as I get to Tatooine, I’ll have to go to that canyon.” I do the same thing when I see videos of PvP, crafting, even dancing.
My excitement, which, honestly, had been dimming a bit, now has come back in full force.
I look forward to the day when my toon, which I crafted to my specifications, can get moving on his/her journey.
If updates like this are any indication, I think that day may not be so far off.
Whatever class you intend to play, my hope is this update did for you what it did for me — provided real substance to help you on your path to your preferred AC.
P.S. – This video has nothing to do with the update, I just felt like posting it.
Time to bring to a close the very first tl;dr article series on this blog. Are you as excited as I am? No? Ok then, on with the show.
When I look back on my gaming history, I realize that I was very rpg focused. When I think back on the titles that influenced me, I don’t think of just the Super Mario Bros., the Metroids, or the Mortal Kombats — I think of more obscure titles, like Lufia and the Fortress of Doom, Lufia 2: Rise of the Sinistrals, and Earthbound.
When I think back on those titles, I immediately bring back to mind the great music that I heard while playing them (surprise surprise, considering this series’ focus). Each of those games had excellent music for my taste, and not even just for their heroic qualities.
Sometimes a game’s music, for all the heroism, and grand exploration involved, just needs to be fun. Believe it or not, many games forget this fact.
Everything is fist-pumping, action packed, pulsing music. That’s fine for action sequences, but a story should always have more facets to it than simply fighting and heroic deeds. Laughter and humor are what give stories their lifeblood. There should always be scenarios that deviate from a serious narrative, if only for a short while, to show you that the world is not just black and white — it can also be a little bit goofy gray.
I mean, seriously, if you were in the midst of a journey to save the world from the threat of an evil intergalactic being who wants to enslave your entire race, would you expect to hear something like this?
Earthbound – Hi Hi Hi
This was the music you heard upon reaching Saturn Valley in the rpg Earthbound. Home to one of the strangest, but oddly charming, races I have ever seen in a video game: the armless Saturns.
"I aM hELpInG yOu, bOiNG!."
Seriously, the caption is a pretty spot on example of how they spoke ingame. These things were a race of, allegedly, genderless extraterrestrials whom you meet on your travels through the game. They are a peace-loving people, who sell a wicked form of psychedelic coffee in their shops that trip you out when you drink it (I don’t know what substances the developers were on when they designed the game, but I want some).
Does this fit in with a narrative whose focus is kids saving the world? Actually, yes. It fits quite well in a game where a photographer pops up out of nowhere to take a pic of you with your group, beckoning you all to say “Fuzzy pickles!” before taking the shot, and a game where you meet a slob kid inventor who creates brilliant devices, like a giant eraser that erases giant pencil sculptures that block your way (seriously, I want some of what the devs were on).
I think part of the reason that game stood out to me, despite the fact that it wasn’t a huge moneymaker in America at the time of release, was the fact that they tried to blend humor and a serious narrative, and it worked. Somehow they found a way to make that piece above, and this–
Earthbound – Snowman (Snow Wood Boarding School)
–fit within the context of the same narrative.
In my opinion, that is always how it should be. Stories should never get so serious that they forget to inject a little bit of humor into them. At least not rpgs.
It’s a delicate balancing act, to be sure. If your narrative has more of a grand focus, then humor should be there as an accent piece. It should not dominate the landscape, or else you risk diminishing the impact of your dramatic focus. Nevertheless, I can think of very few instances where a story was made better by the absence of humor, and many, many instances were a story was enhanced by its addition.
This same philosophy (injecting a subtle amount of humor into a grand narrative) can be seen prominently featured in the best rpgs of the past 15-20 years. Moreover, the music associated with these humorous moments help to make the light-hearted moments stand out even more.
For instance: Lali Ho!
Final Fantasy IV – King Giott’s Castle
*Kweh*
Final Fantasy – Chocobo Themes
Have a nice stay!
Earthbound – Enjoy Your Stay (In my opinion, THE best inn theme in an rpg. It just has a friggin sweet “Spanish villa” feel to it.)
Anyone for some Pazaak?
Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords – Iziz Cantina
That last one has me expectant for some good light-hearted music in Star Wars: The Old Republic, because its composer, Mark Griskey, also composed that little catchy “Star-Wars-meets-1920′s-speakeasy” theme for the Iziz Cantina in KotOR II. I look forward to some nice easy listening in SWTOR cantinas (and based on the limited amount of cantina music I’ve heard from the game, I would say I won’t be disappointed).
I think the point of this last part was to emphasize the importance of having all sides of musical atmosphere represented. Yes, it is important for you to know how heroic your characters are in an rpg, but you should also have musical indicators that let you know your character is not tasteless, and neither is the world in which they roam.
On a selfish level, I hope — and even expect — that there will be music that emphasizes the humor of the situations in SWTOR, just as there will be music to emphasize the romance, or heroic action. I always look for this same thing in any movies I watch, or video games I play. I hate when media neglects humor in an effort to be taken deadly serious. Granted, there are stories where such music would detract from the message (for instance, I don’t think Schindler’s List would benefit favorably from a Cantina Band-esque little ditty), but I can hardly think of one rpg that has ever benefited from ignoring humor.
In the end, everyone has their own opinion on what makes a story endearing. Some love their stories to be dark, full of complexity, with humor nowhere in sight. For me, I prefer stories that find some way to balance drama, humor, and romance. It is not an easy feat to achieve, but it can be done effectively. I’m positive of that fact. It’s one of the reasons I love rpgs over any other genre.
My sincerest wish for the future of rpgs is, I don’t want them to ever lose their flavor.
Part of what makes an rpg worth playing is the total package. It isn’t just being a hero/heroine, it isn’t just saving kingdoms, or romancing companions. It is not just bombastic leitmotifs over grand boss fights that emphasize how awesome you are. Creating a tangible, flavorful world — that’s what makes rpgs worth playing.
–It’s watching an old wizard beat a “spoony bard” over the head with a staff while slinging spells at him (Tellah, R.I.P., you magnificent old bastard).
–It’s drinking a psychedelic cup of coffee with your grade school-age friend, in a village populated by armless, bow-wearing, androgenous beings that speak as if they have ADD (please someone from the dev team get back to me).
–It’s going off to fight a boss who wants to destroy the world riding on the back of a chicken — with a silly theme to match (jk, I love you chocobos).
–It’s about teasing the hell out of that ice queen Bastila just because you can, or jumping into a threesome with Isabella & Zevran on a whim (I love you, BioWare).
Most importantly, it’s about creating memorable musical cues to accent these great moments.
As one member of the orchestra working on SWTOR stated so perfectly, “The music leads the experience. Always. Emotionally.”
Music is universal. It forms the backbone of any form of media in which it is present. It pushes any story forward, makes you care for the characters, and it makes you feel the full breadth of a situation.
Music also gives you a tangible bookmark for your memories. Show me one person who doesn’t have a deep memory associated with music, and I’ll show you a poor, unfortunate bastard.
In video games, it is even more apparent how integral an aural identity, a musical identity is to the essence of a video game. I’ve long ago stopped thinking of video game music as some niche medium that has no artistic merit. For me, music in video games is as important to my identity as a story lover as books were to people from my grandparent’s generation, or films were to people from my parents’ generation.
Video games — some of them — have every right to be considered worthy for consideration as a valid form of artistic work. Rpgs stand at the very front of this line.
I’ve played video games with narratives that rival novels. Hell, it is not even surprising to find a game with a story written by a novelist, anymore (shout out to Drew K and the talented writers at BioWare).
The music associated with these works are equally as deserving of accreditation as serious works of art. Many video game pieces have even been played by symphonies, and inspired people to pursue careers as composers, or musicians. As video games have grown more intricate with the technology that allows them to do so, music in video games has also grown and matured. In all honesty, what makes–
–so different from–
–? Nothing. Yasunori Mitsuda was trying to interpret the feelings of a boy who had traveled to another world; Bach was driven, arguably, by his desire to interpret music as a testament to the glory of God. Each was driven by a different inspiration — but both are deserving of their artistic merit.
Video games exist to give gamers an escape into a fantastical world which we can mold and shape to our liking. Music is there to give that world color, and vibrancy.
In conclusion, here’s hoping that as video games age, composers continue to improve the audible landscape of them for the better.
I really believe that Warren Spector was right on the money when he said “video games are the medium of the 21st century.”
Video game music will be the flavor of that medium.
Almost from the very beginning of SWTOR’s existence, I’ve known exactly what class I was going to play.
Sith Warrior.
However, the introduction of advanced classes made that once simple decision a great deal more complex. While the “Juggernaut”, a single saber dps/tank class, and the “Marauder”, a dual saber dps class, play quite a bit differently, they are both Sith Warriors.
Sith Juggernaut: "I'm a walking tank -- those blasters are just going to piss me off."
Sith Marauder: "You have until I reach you to live."
In most MMOs, I’ve always played dps classes. However, tanking is something I have always loved, and I’m pretty decent at it, if I do say so myself. While I do love tanking, there is one big reason why I never stuck with it in MMOs.
Tanks are not viable in most MMO PvP systems.
Too many MMO PvP systems are just dps burns, where classes gang up on each other and exchange one or two hits before dying. While this is fun to some, that has always been more suited to dps classes. Tanks have no place in a dps burning system — they can’t do enough dps to compete, nor mitigate enough damage to survive longer than any other PvP classes.
Any class that could tank would most likely find themselves carting around three types of gear: a tank set, a PvE dps set, and a PvP set. Because tanks in many MMOs are not viable in PvP, most classes that had tank specs would need a separate spec and gear for said spec in order to stay competitive in PvP. This all amounted to a great clusterfuck that I just never felt the urge to dive into — therefore, it was much less of a headache just to cut out the middle man and play a dps class from the start.
With the lifting of the embargo on PvP information learned from the recent Fan Site Summit held by BioWare, and especially the information pertaining to PvP held in this interview with Gabe Amatangelo, lead PvP designer for SWTOR, my decision suddenly got much easier.
And the winner is (as if you couldn’t guess by now)…
Sith Juggernaut.
Why do I hear Pantera in my head everytime I think of my future Sith Juggernaut?
By the way, go and check out Darth Hater’s coverage if you haven’t already. It’s an awesome collection of info. The interview with Gabe Amatangelo was among that collection.
While I enjoyed it all, I think it is safe to say that interview had the biggest impact on me of all the interviews I’ve seen/heard/read recently. It not only solidified my choice in class, it also assuaged many of the fears I had that SWTOR would be just another dps race. I suppose I shouldn’t have had doubts, seeing as how Mythic’s people are working on the PvP for this game (Mythic being the creators of the best MMO PvP system ever created: Dark Age of Camelot), but it is still a great relief to see Mythic’s fingerprints on SWTOR’s PvP in such a real way.
I enjoyed reading the entirety of the interview, but there were select pieces that had the biggest impact on me. I’ll quote a few here.
*Asked what role tanks can fill in PvP*
Gabe Amatangelo: They are able to “guard” their allies. Building up their defense, avoidance, etc. is not going to be lost in a PvP situation. They’ll be able to shift whatever kind of damage absorption they have onto their buddy. And then the scoreboard tracks every bit of damage they take on behalf of their buddy, and they are rewarded accordingly. We carrot players who aren’t working as an organized team with their buddies in Warzones — like pick up groups. They still have an incentive to throw that guard on a healer that is about to go down or that DPS that got thirty kills on the opposite faction. Basically, a tank who is a good tank will be able to switch their guard targets of opportunity when it is most viable.
You have no idea how much this excites me. Gabe Amatangelo, you are a friggin kingpin.
In most PvP systems, tanks earn no benefits from their increased armor. Classes do so much damage, a tank might as well be wearing cloth or leather. They might take a few more hits, but they go down just as easily. With this system, I could actually contribute something to my group as a tank in PvP.
Later in the interview, Gabe Amatangelo elaborates a little bit further on a tank’s role in PvP:
*Asked if this system means tanks will not be forced to change to a dps spec in PvP*
Correct. To clarify this a bit more, if you built yourself up to have taunts, heavy armor, and all kinds of avoidance and absorption all of that is going to be one hundred percent viable in PvP through the guard ability. If I taunt a player, they are going to do less damage to everyone except for me. And that less damage that they end up delivering — that difference is going to be tracked on the scoreboard for me. When I guard a player, fifty percent of the damage they receive is redirected to me. And of course, all my heavy armor and avoidance is going to come into play, helping them to survive as well as myself, and all the damage I take on their behalf will be tracked for my rewards at the end of the Warzone.
FIFTY percent? Let’s think about this for a minute. If I, as a tank, can guard a clothy ally, basically allowing them to circumvent half the damage you do to them by taking it upon myself, you CAN’T leave me alive. There is no “avoid the tank, he doesn’t do enough dps to make a difference”; if you leave me alive, you are doing half damage to my dps allies, meanwhile, they are doing full damage to you.
This also works with healers. If I see an Inquisitor healer, or any healer, getting focused on by a dps, you better believe I am going to guard that healer. Just like that, I take 50% of your damage and suddenly you have to fight more strategically than just simply going up and burning someone down with pure dps.
A system like the one SWTOR appears to have is one that values ALL roles. I don’t think I could praise this approach enough if I tried.
All roles should be viable in player vs player. They should be, but for whatever reason, most MMO companies have failed to achieve giving all their classes viability in an MMO PvP system. But of all the MMO companies out there, really only one has successfully found a way to achieve universal role viability on a consistent basis.
Mythic.
Whatever you might say about WAR as a whole, you cannot say it fell flat due to lackluster PvP. The PvP system of that game was its strength. Mythic took many of the same principles they had in place for DAoC and carried them over to WAR. With Mythic employees working on the PvP systems for SWTOR, it looks like some of those same principles will carry over, yet again — which pleases me very, very much.
However, on a selfish level, I’m more excited that I finally have my class and spec nailed down. It is something I have considered for a long time, and to finally have it pinned down leaves me with a feeling of satisfaction.
In celebration of this, I think I’ll post the aforementioned Pantera song that immediately popped into my head when I heard this news.
See all my Impz on Dromund Kaas. I’ll be the ominous looking Sith Pureblood Jugg hanging out in the cantina when I’m not questing, or (so sick) in a Warzone.
To the ‘pubs I meet on Alderaan… Don’t run. You’ll just die tired.
As I contemplate buying Cataclysm in the next few days, old thoughts have been creeping back into my mind — such as “Why did I quit in the first place?”
That one is fairly easy — but I feel like reliving some memories before I disclose that reason.
When I left WoW, my characters — at least the ones that mattered to me — had all reached the end of their progression, and there was really nothing more to be done with them. I’m not a hardcore raider, so I wasn’t about to jump into that shark tank just to have something to do. I ran out of content that I wanted to participate in. I left with few regrets, however. Actually, I left with some pretty good memories, mostly in PvP:
-I’ll never forget taking my rogue into WSG (“Warsong Gulch”, for the non WoW players) with my best bud’s warrior, where we promptly won the whole thing for our team (I returned the first flag, then he returned the 2nd & 3rd while I set up shop in our Horde flag room and killed anyone who set foot in it. We even earned a few achievements in that bg).
-I love reminiscing about a heated PvP rogue vs. rogue matchup I got into in Arathi Basin once. It seemed like we, the Alliance rogue and I, just always ran into each other at every flag and it was on. The battles were close, too (neither he, nor I ever won by a sizeable margin — it was always by the skin of our teeth). I ended up winning overall in our duels (3-2), but even if I hadn’t, I don’t think I would have considered it too much of a defeat. Those fights were just two skilled PvP rogues who happened to clash numerous times, and we both knew how to play our classes. Those are the kinds of matchups you usually find in arenas.
More than just the memories, I also left with some great visual snapshots to commemorate my time in WoW.
"Death floats down on a black cloud, ready to consume all it touches."
Sometimes you just have to dance.
If there was one thing I DIDN'T miss about Outland, it was those things. Many is the time I would be skinning some recently deceased boar, only to have this big sumbitch come right up behind me.-_-;
See, the rhythm can even get dreadlords.
Roughly 40% of all my screenshots are dancing, but this one was the only one I had as my wallpaper for a long while.
"Look at this ludicrous shit..."
Boy, do I know how to digress, or what? This article is already getting tl;dr, and I still haven’t explained why I left in the first place. Now to get back on track.
As I wait in anticipation of Star Wars: The Old Republic, often I get into discussions with people about it. When I mention that I was a former WoW player, I usually get responses along the lines of “then why are you looking forward to SWTOR so much? Isn’t it just WoW-in-space?”
For the longest time, I didn’t know how to respond to that. Mechanically, yes, there are some very noticeable similarities between the two (though you could make that comparison between WoW and many other MMO’s, as well — including Everquest, which much of WoW‘s mechanics were based upon). However, after really thinking about it for awhile, I realized what it was that eventually turned me off to WoW and got me onto the SWTOR wagon — and though Cata‘s questing looks to be much improved, it doesn’t rectify this one nagging deficiency for me.
Basically: I got tired of playing everyone else’s story.
I never felt like I was playing MY story when I played WoW — or any other MMO, really. I always felt like I was playing Tirion Fordring’s story, or Rexxar’s story, or Thrall’s story, etc. Sure, I was there for some of the good moments, but it just felt like being an assistant.
That is probably not even considered a deficiency for people who play WoW for the time sink aspect, or raiders who spend so much time talking through vent, dissecting the mechanics of the encounter to the point where they barely pay attention to the lore of the game. However, for someone who values story and, more importantly, story integration & immersion, it always stood out to me that I was nothing more than a backseat driver in the grand scheme of things. It certainly wasn’t a game breaking omission, but it left me feeling unsatisfied.
Now, when someone asks me why I am anticipating SWTOR so much, I feel like I can give a legitimate reason. Also, this doesn’t simply pertain to WoW, this same situation could be said of all MMO’s, to this point.
I’m ready for my character to be given attention & focus; everything I’ve heard, seen & read about SWTOR suggests I will get ample attention & focus when the game launches.
Ffs, the devs have already confirmed that there will be quests where I, the Pureblood Sith Warrior, will be the quest giver. Instead of running around the world looking for a NPC to give me a random quest, there will be times when I will get my crew together and give out orders, and those orders will be in the form of quests. That is just so wicked to me.
This is the aspect of RPG that I feel is missing from the MMORPG genre — feeling as if YOUR character is a meaningful part of the grand scheme.
RPG is all about creating a character you might like playing, then integrating them into a fictional world. Most MMO’s are great about giving you tools, in the form of talent trees, to make your character your own, and fun to play. However, few MMO’s have made the RPG element of the genre satisfying. Usually, RPG in most modern MMO games is created and policed by the population. Your character, in the overall picture, doesn’t really do much, except maybe free a village that promptly gets “retaken” a few minutes later. All of the major moments happen as if the “real” heroes do the job, while you merely assisted.
That’s why I am eagerly anticipating what a developer like BioWare, who are known for creating flavorful, enriching RPG experiences, can create with modern MMO mechanics, an enormous MMO landscape, and phasing technology at their disposal.
It is my hope that players will, in fact, get an opportunity to impact the world in a meaningful way. Things like assisting the rebuilding of Taris, or killing an NPC that will STAY DEAD after you kill him/her.
The possibilities are all there for advancement of the RPG aspect of the MMO genre. Who better to attempt to make RPG integral than BioWare?
At this point, waiting for SWTOR is wearing on me, a bit. That is why I said in the first paragraph that I am considering buying Cata. However, I am starting to realize that no matter what game I play, I will never stop looking forward to SWTOR.
While some people don’t bat an eyelash at the “Your choices matter.” mantra, I suppose I took it as a statement that maybe, possibly, I FUCKING hope, that I will finally get a chance to play an MMO with some real RPG in it. Whether that will be the case will have to wait for after release, but at least I feel optomistic about it after seeing what BioWare has shown.
For me, story really does matter. That is why, while some scoff at BioWare’s dedication to it, I still think story will end up being the great equalizer in MMORPGs. But not just story — MY story.
I’m ready to play MY story, where I make things happen, and my motivations are what drive things forward.
No disrespect to the major NPCs in most modern MMOs, but I’m ready for ya’ll to make guest appearances on my tracks, you dig? I’m tired of “Thrall featuring Warrior” or “Darion Mograine featuring Death Knight” — I’m ready for “Pureblood SW featuring Darth Angral”, or “Human Imperial Agent featuring Darth Jadus”.
It’s time for me (the player) to come up in the game.
Alright, this week in Uncle Jara’s little goodie bag: part 2 of the Eyecandy tour.
For those who missed the first part, 7 worlds were represented, with screenshots, concept art, and videos to add flavor. Among these, we had one ecumenopolis (Coruscant), one desert world filled with delicious ruins (Korriban), a rotting cesspit of villainy (Hutta), and a winter wonderland rife with internal political turmoil & intrigue (Alderaan), among others. These first 7 worlds went a long way toward proving that The Old Republic already boasts a rich assortment of landscapes, climates, and local wildlife to compete with any MMO on the market right now.
Next up, we’re going to take a look at 5 more of the 17 total worlds in SWTOR.
Included among this group: a dark world with a lush jungle atmosphere, a once thriving ecumenopolis that looks to have a 2nd chance at life in The Old Republic, a world that is home to one of the galaxy’s most notorious prisons, and a world of high mountains and forests, where an ancient race uses their mystical knowledge to survive amidst a sea of violent enemies.
However, before we delve into the worlds mentioned above, the first world on this part of the tour is a world that needs no introduction—though out of respect, I will give it as fitting an introduction as I am able.
Star Wars fans rarely agree on many things.
-To some, Darth Vader is the epitome of a Sith, while to others, Emperor Palpatine holds that title.
-There are those that feel Luke Skywalker is the archetype of a Jedi in the Star Wars universe, while others still see Grand Master Yoda as that true icon of Jedi glory.
Whatever differences Star Wars fans may have in their opinions of most things, one thing remains universal to this day: only one planet deserves to be considered THE one true icon of Star Wars worlds.
That planet is, was, always will be:
Tatooine
Ok, seriously, those have only a passing connection with SWTOR (the fact that they are on/about Tatooine, itself), but they needed to be posted.
Tatooine transcends video games.
Now for the real stuff.
Though the desert is vast, you might want to watch your step at all times.
Explorers who find their way to Tatooine should always stock up at a local settlement before trekking into the desert.
In need of "reliable" droids? Shop Jawa.
In the Galaxy of The Old Republic, Tatooine is an arid desert world located in the Outer Rim. Its two suns feed an already broiling desert climate, making Tatooine a very inhospitable planet for would-be travelers.
With only pockets of civilized settlements present amidst the desert landscape, the major hubs of civilization tend to be the larger settlements, in particular, Anchorhead, the largest outpost on the planet. Once an outpost for employees of the Czerka Corporation who were stationed on Tatooine to mine for resources beneath the planet’s surface, Czerka has long since abandoned Anchorhead, leaving it to become a haven for Smugglers, Jawa traders, & any others who happened to dock on Tatooine and smelled opportunity—or those looking to “disappear under the radar”.
The name Czerka runs deep throughout Tatooine’s recent history. Five centuries ago, Czerka first showed up to mine resources from beneath the surface of the planet. When those plans fell through, Czerka shifted their focus to weapon development. Many secret Czerka weapon research & development laboratories were built, and alien technologies from all around the galaxy were brought to the planet for experimentation. Many of these experiments were deemed too “terrible” to be allowed on civilized worlds, though the full extent of Czerka’s machinations on Tatooine remain a mystery to this day. What is known, however, is that Czerka suddenly pulled all operations off of Tatooine, leaving behind their secret weapons laboratories & complexes to sink beneath the sand. Nobody is sure what prompted this swift withdrawal, though it is rumored some terrible secret beneath the sand holds the key.
Anchorhead has been something of a pit stop for Republic citizens who travel through the Outer Rim in The Old Republic. In recent years, under the nose of the Republic, Imperial forces have begun to carve out a foothold on the planet’s surface. The Empire has even gone so far as to send a small force to occupy a settlement called Mos Ila, via a spaceport rebuilt by Jawas hoping to encourage trade in the region, where they appear to have taken an interest in Anchorhead—and specifically, in the now-abandoned Czerka weapons facilities in the area.
Jara’s Thoughts: Tatooine is destined to be one of the first worlds I intend to explore the living hell out of, right along with Alderaan. There’s just so much about it that I find interesting. The terrain appeals to me, the size of the world appeals to me, and the people that live on this planet appeal to me (if this planet only had Jawas, I would still dig this world just as much). The fact that an Imperial presence is felt on the surface appeals to me, as well (I intend to roll Imp for my first 2 or 3 toons). But also, I love the lore associated with this place.
Yes, some part of my joy is connected to my nostalgia for anything to do with the original trilogy of Star Wars films. Even beyond that, the backstory with the secret Czerka weapons facilities, some mysterious force that caused them to suddenly retreat and leave it all behind, not to mention the Jawas, Tusken Raiders, the Banthas, even a Mandalorian settlement (shown in the PAX East Tatooine video)—it all looks like something I want to explore. Not just through travel, but also through quests.
Here’s a confession: I secretly hope that I’ll wander into an Anchorhead or Mos Ila cantina and hear a slightly similar version of the original Star Wars cantina music.
That would be the ultimate cherry on top of this sundae.
Dromund Kaas
Dromund Kaas, the capital of the Sith Empire, looms among the shaded landscape.
Dromund Kaas, the seat of the Empire. It is on this world where the Emperor sits atop his throne and schemes against the Galactic Republic. It is also on this world where the Dark Council, 2nd in power only to the Emperor, holds court from the Imperial Citadel in Kaas City, the capital city of the Sith Empire.
Dromund Kaas was the planet the Emperor led his people to following the Great Hyperspace War, after the Republic’s failed attempt to exterminate the Sith species. Immediately, the survivors of the Sith Empire went to work, building the great capital Kaas City, and also rebuilding their military might through the centuries. Due to the tireless work of such legendary Imperial figures as Odile Vaiken, the Sith Empire flourished and reloaded after their bloody conflict with the Jedi & Galactic Republic. Centuries later, the Sith Empire would strike out from Dromund Kaas, eventually forcing the Galactic Republic into a treaty, thereby achieving vengeance for their past defeat.
The landscape of Dromund Kaas outside of Kaas City is blanketed by lush jungles. The atmosphere of the planet, ravaged by centuries of the Emperor’s Force rituals, appears as if in a perpetual lightning storm. Rain is also common on the surface, and the planet itself seems to be in a never-ending dark haze. Other commonly seen features of the Dromund Kaas landscape are the ancient caverns, ruins, and statues depicting venerated former Sith Lords.
Jara’s Thoughts: Right out of a world that is already an icon of Star Wars history (Tatooine), directly to one that looks like it could very well turn into one of the most significant icons of SWTOR‘s history.
As a Sith Warrior, I can only imagine what this world will hold for me. Dromund Kaas IS the Sith Empire… Literally. This is the place where the Dark Council spreads their influence over the Empire. This is the place where Teneb Kel’s quest to hunt down Exal Kressh began. Though the Emperor appears to be involved in mysterious schemes outside of the Empire, I imagine he’ll still be in Dromund Kaas when I reach the city. At the very least, I’ll get to see the throne that Malak & Revan approached in one of the most awesome timeline videos revealed of the game, so far.
Seeing as how Dromund Kaas looks to be steeped in the history of the Empire, I know I’ll enjoy the quests there. I am curious to learn more about past events on Dromund Kaas, the ancient figures that shaped the Empire, and maybe even chat with a “Force ghost” or two in my time there. More than that, I dig jungle worlds.
While this doesn’t appear to be a “pure” jungle world—like your Kashyyyk’s or Yavin IV’s—it still has that jungle feel to it that I enjoy. If nothing else, it looks like a very dimly lit rainforest.lol
Taris
Vines canvas the ancient, ruined buildings of Taris' once vibrant city.
Though new settlements do exist, the spectre of Taris' tragic past always stands as a reminder in the background.
Taris, doomed to a perpetually ruinous future, or primed for rebirth?
Once a thriving ecumenopolis, Taris was razed in the year 3,956 BBY by the Sith Lord Darth Malak in his attempts to kill the Jedi Knight Bastila Shan.
More than three centuries have passed since that act of utter destruction left the city a smouldering ruin. Taris in present day, at least currently, is still in a state of ruin. Swamps are the most prevalent aspect of Taris’ terrain. The remainder of the landscape is covered in the ruined shells of buildings that once stood in a proud, prominent city. Though little remains of the once great city, perhaps its darkest aspect, the diseased Rakghouls, have managed to survive the destruction of their home. There are also rumors of an evolution of sorts happening to those afflicted by this disease—created by Sith alchemy—, including reports of “bizarre” powers.
Though only lightly inhabited in the centuries since its destruction, recently the Galactic Republic has begun stationing forces on the surface in order to rebuild the city. The Republic hopes that rebuilding this city, once a symbol of Sith atrocity, will boost the morale of a Republic in need of new hope. However, the Empire has also begun sending their military to the planet in an attempt to prevent such a move. In their eyes, Taris stands as a testament to the destructive might of the Sith—and they intend to keep it that way.
Jara’s Thoughts: Anyone who has played Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic should be intimately familiar with this world and the events that brought about its eventual downfall.
This planet was the scene of one of the most gut-wrenching—but oh so damn effective—plot twists in video game history. It isn’t often that you’ll find developers willing to, literally, blow up to Hell a whole world they worked on. Yet, that’s just what happened here. BioWare allowed you to explore Taris in KotOR, let you get to know its people, and then made you watch as Darth Malak unloaded the clip on it. In many ways, this planet might have been the home of the hardest hitting BioWare plot point at the time—surpassed only by the twist when you learned about Revan later (I won’t spoil the surprise for anyone who hasn’t played it).
Getting to go back to this world (and hopefully rebuild it, via BioWare’s “phasing” technology) is going to be one of the sweetest aspects of SWTOR. Just knowing a little about the history of this place, then being allowed to go back, is very cool. I expect quests there to focus on the Rakghoul situation, and on the Republic side, I imagine the quests will gear more toward rebuilding the place. (That’s probably the one downside I see with playing Empire—they are trying to keep it destroyed. I’ll probably have to roll ‘pub to see the rebuilding stuff [though I hope Drew Karpyshyn is hinting in that first video that the Empire might just start building their own stuff to counteract the Republic.)
Belsavis
Though known for its cold climate, Belsavis' vibrant vegetation thrives.
The history of Belsavis precedes the Galactic Republic or the Sith Empire. Indeed, its origins and history reach all the way back to the “Infinite Empire” of the Rakatans, who used the planet as a prison for captured beings—beasts and intelligent beings. Many of those beings are said to still be locked away deep inside the planet’s massive prison.
In the timeline of The Old Republic, Belsavis has been used by the Republic as a prison for dangerous Sith lords and war criminals. Having discovered its true nature as an ancient prison in past centuries, the Republic attempted, unsuccessfully, to fully overtake the massive prison complex. Deep within its structure, the Republic learned that the Rakatans had contained many hideously dangerous prisoners. With this knowledge in-hand, the Republic has begun sending increasing numbers of military personnel to the planet to attempt to maintain the defenses of the prison. On the other hand, the Empire, having learned of the prison’s existence through its vast network of Imperial spies, has also dispatched its own military forces to Belsavis in an attempt to liberate its numerous Sith prisoners.
The presence of both the Republic & Jedi has transformed the labyrinthine prison complex into a bloody battleground. While the Sith attempt to retrieve their captured brethren, and the Jedi attempt to keep the prison intact, a dark evil waits in the depths of the facility, ready to break free of its centuries old prison.
Jara’s Thoughts: As a known lover of “winter worlds”, I can see myself enjoying the terrain & climate of Belsavis. That said, the presence of a massive galactic prison certainly raises my eyebrow.
I think I could enjoy all aspects of this world—as long as the quests are engaging.
If I am going to spend a lot of time in prison complexes, I hope the quests are involved, with a very ever-present sense of danger. I also hope that both Empire & Republic will get to delve deeper into the mystery of this place. Just knowing that the Rakatans actually used this prison millenia before the Republic or Empire makes me curious to see what exactly they have contained deep inside it. I am kind of hoping it’ll be something akin to At the Mountains of Madness by H.P. Lovecraft—though unlike Dyer & Danforth, I actually want to SEE the evil contained within.
Sadly, if I had to guess, I bet the Republic will come out ahead on the intriguing quests for the prison. I think the Sith will become aware of the evil as they are attempting to free their captured people, while the Republic will most likely get the “We must not let this evil escape” awesome storyline.
However, until we get into the game, this is merely a guess (I could be completely wrong).
Voss
Voss-ka, capital of the Voss species, boasts very ornate, detailed architecture.
Anti-aircraft guns stand ready to shoot down enemy ships---a testament to the culture of conflict present on the planet.
The pagoda-like design of this Voss structure suggests skilled craftsmanship---though its true purpose remains a mystery.
Voss, home to the tech-savvy, aggressive species called the “Gormak”, as well as a peaceful race of mystics who refer to themselves by the same name as the planet, was found by accident not long after the signing of the Treaty of Coruscant.
The Voss species, who make their home in a city on a tall mountain peak, have survived centuries of constant assault by their mortal enemies the Gormak by virtue of their city’s natural defenses, and due to the guidance of their Voss Mystics. Though Sith & Jedi outside of Voss would instantly recognize the Mystics’ power as coming directly from the “Force”, the Voss have no term for it, nor do they care for outside opinion. Yet it has saved their civilization from certain extinction from the Gormak, who see the Voss as an affront to nature, itself.
The Sith Empire attempted to conquer the planet after discovering its existence, while the Republic attempted to prevent its capture by taking the planet, themselves. The powerful Voss Mystics were able to see through these attempts, however. Guided by their mystical knowledge, the Voss were able to prevent the Republic from taking the planet, then defeat the invading Sith fleet, causing it to vanish. Afterward, both the Sith Empire & the Galactic Republic established embassies in Voss-ka, the Voss’ home, in an attempt to try and gain favor with them.
Jara’s Thoughts: Of all the planets BioWare has released for The Old Republic, I feel confident in saying Voss has been the hardest to read for me.
I have no friggin idea yet if I’m going to like this planet or not.
I will say, there are things about this world I find very intriguing. The Nightmare Lands, which is supposed to be an area tainted by some dark energy that is inhabited by twisted Gormak & Voss Mystics who have gone insane, sounds like a blast to me. The Voss, themselves, sound interesting, as well—though I have to admit, the Voss, named after the planet Voss, which resides in the Voss System, just makes me think of the Marklar from South Park.
I have no idea what to expect as far as quests on this world. You would think that some of them will be your superiors attempting to get in the good graces of the Voss, though if you are Empire, there’s no doubt that some ulterior motives will come into play. The Gormaks view you as an enemy simply because you don’t hate the Voss and they see them as abominations. Therefore, I doubt they will be welcoming quest givers (though any experienced MMO player knows, love and hate by a faction for you in an MMO only lasts as long as it takes you to grind rep with them, or do some quest that changes your allegiance).
If I had to make one suggestion that I hoped to see in the game, I hope at some point you, as a Sith player, can do something heinous and then point the finger at a Jedi or something in a Voss quest. I get that these guys are kind of psychic, but it would still be fun to do since you’re both basically trying to suck up better than the opposite faction.
Closing Thoughts: Thus concludes part 2 of our three part adventure (there were only ten worlds left, so I decided to split them in half).
In this part, there were definitely a lot of worlds that I look forward to experiencing in-game. Not even just Tatooine or Taris, I see fun questing possibilities on all of these planets. Most of them, save Tatooine, seem to have a single recurring theme: political intrigue. Voss, Belsavis & Taris just look like political warzones, with two sides fighting over them for different reasons, and with different agendas; Dromund Kaas, though an Empire-only planet, is no doubt steeped in political games, also (this is the home of the Emperor & the Dark Council, after all). Tatooine, while not specifically stated to be a grand political battleground for the Republic & Empire, still has some juicy secrets to spill. They all raise their own questions.
-What caused the Czerka Corporation to very suddenly pull up stakes on Tatooine and hit the road without so much as packing? I doubt they would have incurred such losses over anything small.
-What sort of prisoners did the Rakatans imprison underground on Belsavis—and what exactly about them had the Jedi order moving so quickly to keep them contained?
-What exactly is the Emperor up to, and will he have the full support of the Dark Council when the time comes to implement his plans? The final chapter of the Blood of the Empire webcomic would suggest not (Teneb Kel made it very clear that they would want to know what the Emperor was truly planning—enough to spare his life and even elevate him to a full Sith lord).
-If the Empire wants to keep Taris in ruins, and the Republic wants to rebuild, which side is going to win out in the end? Also, what part will the “evolving” Rakghoul disease play in the grand scheme of things?
-Though the Sith Empire & Galactic Republic seem set on trying to curry favor with the Voss, what sort of ulterior motives are going on underneath? The Jedi Order may stick to their friendship policy with the Voss, but I imagine both the Imperial & Republic politicians have other ideas for what an alliance with the Voss could mean.
Overall, these worlds look poised to provide some exciting quests for people who choose to camp out on them. It’s difficult for me to say which one I think is going to be my favorite. All of them have great story potential; I think it’ll come down to how well the stories of these worlds engage me. (If there is a cantina on Tatooine with some rendition of the original Cantina Theme, however, all bets are off.)
Well, here are worlds 8-12 on our tour of the 17 worlds BioWare has unveiled for The Old Republic.
Among the worlds we have yet to cover:
-a world where an enveloping, warm Tauntaun coat could save your life;
-a “moon” where “fair play” is just a bunch of four letter words;
-the “Detroit” motor vehicle (starship) capital of SWTOR;
-a world with diamonds that you wouldn’t want to make teeth grills out of;
-and finally, a world where the Hutts figured: poisonous atmosphere + dangerous plants + chemistry = profit.
Instead of putting together the 2nd part of the Eyecandy tour, I decided some special attention needed to be put on something that was revealed during this past March 11th-13th’s PAX East convention: BioWare’s reveal, and guided tour, of the planets Hoth & Tatooine.
* * *
First up, a tour given by SWTOR’s Lead Writer Daniel Erickson of one of the most iconic planets in the history of Star Wars lore.
The ice jewel, the playpen of the Wampa’s, the place where Luke very nearly froze his nuts off—until Han found a creative use for his buddy’s deceased Tauntaun.
The one, the only…
Hoth
I’m going to refrain from going into any details about Hoth, itself (Daniel Erickson does a much better job of getting across how wicked the planet is), so I’ll just post some arbitrary thoughts that I had upon seeing this video for the first time—and I’ll do the same with the next video.
First off—FUCK ME! I had no idea the planets in this game would be so damn huge…
I was honestly not prepared to take in the full scope of what I was seeing. In my head, more often than I can even accurately recall, I have tried to visualize what the worlds might be like, as far as area, in SWTOR. Before I really knew it, I was beginning to make comparisons based on the MMO’s I’ve played in the past (LOTRO, WoW, Perfect World, etc). Of those games, WoW was definitely my biggest measuring stick.
I had a blast playing WoW. I had my reasons for leaving the game, but I’m not afraid to admit that I enjoyed my time in the game, thoroughly. One of the main reasons for this was the environment I had to run around in.
I still have a fairly clear picture in my head of the scope of WoW’s zones. I feel confident I could accurately describe almost all of Westfall, a large section of Stonetalon Mountains (I still remember that creepy as fuck Sishyr Canyon with the giant tarantulas), almost all of Ashenvale, and probably more than 75% of every other zone in the game (apart from Alliance areas. I never did run Alliance—I was always more of a Horde guy, as is my best bud). Even a good while after I left the game, I still have a pretty good grasp on how big a WoW zone can be.
That said, I was absolutely amazed by the videos BioWare unveiled at PAX East of the worlds Hoth & Tatooine.
Hoth looks exactly like I imagined it would: perpetual “oppressive” winter (for those who actually read the previous article, wink wink).
Funny enough, however, it doesn’t look nearly as oppressive as I thought it would be originally—more importantly, the thing is MUCH more massive than I ever thought possible.
When I imagined a “ship graveyard”, I thought it would be similar to certain areas of WoW where downed airships in Northrend littered the ground, forming the covering for a small hut with some people inside. I wasn’t thinking an ACTUAL ship graveyard—with a ship so massive you could actually go inside and explore it like it was an actual building. It’s not even the only one, either. As Daniel E says in the video, it is only one of the ships in the ship graveyard. Who knows how many will be ripe for exploration in SWTOR?
Color me very impressed with Hoth. I cannot wait to get off my ship and just wander out into the wintery expanse. I may even try to jump off a cliff, or hit a lava fissure in a canyon by jumping at just the right angle. This planet definitely has me excited to see what BioWare has in store for the planets not yet released—including worlds like Alderaan & Taris, which are both worlds BioWare has described as “massive”.
* * *
Hoth was not the only world BioWare dropped on the mass of SWTOR-starved fans who descended on PAX East like hungry little bastard piranhas. I figured I would save the best for last, just like BioWare did on the day.
I can’t just begin this with BioWare’s version of Tatooine. First, I have to go back to where it all began.
Luke, two setting suns, and the immortal score by the great John Williams:
Tatooine
Now for Family Guy’s version:
Finally, BioWare’s version :
Ok, Hoth actually got a reaction out of me. I can clearly recall seeing the Hoth video and saying “damn” about 50 times.
Tatooine, on the other hand… I was speechless.
I’m not sure exactly what it was about the video that hit me so hard. Maybe it was the Sand Crawler, towering over the landscape like some monolithic obelisk (you can actually see it from a great distance away if you pay close attention). It could be the large canyons, or the Bantha stumbling along looking for food or water. It might even be the damn Jawas hanging around Anchorhead standing by the droid while a speeder coasts by. Whatever it was, this video just completely smashed my preconceived notion of what Tatooine would actually be like in SWTOR.
Like I said about Hoth, I had no idea the worlds in SWTOR would be so fucking expansive. I know better now (the devs have confirmed some worlds can be as large as 7-8 Wow zones), but at the time I first watched this video I had no warning.
I can already imagine myself getting lost on Tatooine—on purpose. I can’t wait to get a speeder and just go explore the whole damn place.
I don’t know what materials will be abundant on Tatooine for the exploring crafter at this time, but if it turns out to be a good place for an Artificer to get some materials (my SW is going to need his upgraded glowstick), I could see myself spending a crap ton of time on Tatooine. The Crew Skills video released by BioWare several months ago shows the Bounty Hunter character collecting salvageable metals, then directing his companion to salvage while he went back to killing. At the very least, Tatooine looks to be a good place to scavenge up droid parts or maybe metals that can be used to create blasters (being that this is the home of the Jawas, that sounds about right).
In any case, Tatooine looks like a very awesome world for the MMO explorer. Since I am an MMO explorer, I can see myself just wandering this landscape to see what’s around a mountain or something; for that reason, I am very pleased that BioWare seems hellbent on giving me as much room to roam as possible.
* * *
I figure this is a good place to stop. There isn’t much left to say about these two worlds that Daniel Erickson didn’t point out in the videos.
Let me say again, I am very impressed with what BioWare is giving us in terms of space (area) in SWTOR. While something can be said about small areas with content bound up tight like a mummy, I find I prefer area where I can stretch my (metaphorical) legs out.
It wasn’t the cramped areas I liked most in WoW (Eversong Woods, Darkshore, Elwynn Forest), I preferred the more open, vast areas (Tanarus, The Barrens [minus the inane chat from the past], and WotLK zones like Storm Peaks, Borean Tundra & Howling Fjord).
In LOTRO, one of my favorite zones to explore was The Shire—in part because of the ambience, and in part because of the wide open fields waiting for you everywhere you looked.
Based on the videos above, I’d say BioWare is coming along great in terms of creating interesting space for their future MMO audience to traverse.
As I looked over what I wrote in the last part, I realized something: every single one of those music samples was from an SNES game.
I guess that was because I grew up a child of the SNES age, when rpg titles like Final Fantasy, Breath of Fire, Chrono Trigger, Secret of Mana, and Lufia & the Fortress of Doom ruled my playtime. Each of those titles influenced my preferences in rpg video game narratives (all but Lufia & the Fortress of Doom—which was more of a personal favorite—had critically acclaimed narratives attached to them), and left a hefty imprint on my musical tastes.
Every one of those titles listed have musical pieces that just left me utterly enthralled as a young gamer, and some still do:
Secret of Mana – Fear of the Heavens
Secret of Mana, composed by the talented Hiroki Kikuta, will always have one of the greatest opening theme songs of any game, in my opinion. This tune really set the mood for the game’s story, filled with an incredible overarching plot, awesome characters, each with their own reasons for undergoing the game’s incredible journey—plus, one of the most effective self sacrifices I had seen to that point in an rpg (matched only by the Sage Tellah in Final Fantasy IV [You're the fucking man, you old bastard!]).
Final Fantasy VI (III in America) – Awakening
There is a considerable amount of debate about which game in the Final Fantasy series is, in fact, “the best.” However, in my opinion, Final Fantasy VI deserves to always be in contention for that title.
With some of the most unique characters I’ve ever played in an rpg (Celes, Terra, Locke, Cyan, Sabin, Relm, Strago, Shadow, Gau, Setzer, Umaro, Mog, Gogo, Edgar—that’s right, they all made such an impression I can remember them all by heart), along with THE most iconic (or at least effective) villain in the entire series (Kefka, who, unlike most villains who merely TRY to wreak havoc, actually tore the world asunder and ruled atop it for some time before the heroes finally regrouped to face him), FFVI remains in my top 3 of rpgs that I have played.
Breath of Fire II – Nightmare
I’ll never forget the feeling I felt when I heard this music for the first time. Awe, wonder, dread, all rolled up in one.
This is the tune that plays while you descend into “Infinity”, the inner sanctum of the dark God Deathevn in BoFII. This place was so different from the other areas you traverse in Breath of Fire II, it actually caught me off guard the first time I ventured in. The difficulty level ramps up the second you enter, making it feel like a dimensional portal crawling with horrific monsters just waiting to spill forth into the world. For the MMO players out there, I liken it to exploring the world fighting monsters, then suddenly walking into an endgame raid. It felt like another world; it was definitely something you had to experience for yourself to truly grasp the magnitude of it.
And for all your toil, for all the turmoil you endure to reach the bottom of this chaotic abyss, what do you get for a thank you?
I didn't know Cthulhu had a brother...
Final Fantasy VII – Main Theme
Now, I know I said above that I consider FFVI one of the very best games in the Final Fantasy franchise, but that is like saying $1million is better than $999,999—the important thing is, you’re rich as fuck either way.
Final Fantasy VII is easily in the top 3 for the franchise in my book, right up there with Final Fantasy IV (#1 for me) & Final Fantasy VI (sometimes #2 for me, sometimes #3). With a pretty complex plot, several twists along the way, cutting edge cutscenes for the time, and a truly iconic villain (Sephiroth), FFVII really led the charge for console rpgs out of the SNES era and into the Playstation era.
Phantasy Star: The End of the Millenium – Various
Phantasy Star: The End of the Millenium was not the only Genesis rpg that I enjoyed, but it was the one that had the biggest impact on me as my rpg tastes grew.
I’m not sure what exactly sparked my love of this game. Partly, it was because the character I thought was the main protagonist, the huntress Alys, dies fairly early in the game’s narrative. This leaves only her young assistant Chaz to continue forward into a story that ends up spanning the entire galaxy. (I also think my love of snow worlds in games may have begun on Phantasy Star IV’s “Dezolis”, an ice world where the adventurers crash land.)
This game featured comic book style cutscenes, an excellent soundtrack, a pretty layered story for the time, incredible environments, and funny enough it introduced me to a staple of MMOs that I would experience much later (a macro system for queueing up spells and actions—a first for a console rpg that I can recall).
* * *
Looking at what I just wrote, it could be said I’ve been creating a ”best of” list for rpgs, but that is not my intention. Each of those games listed above added something else to the list of reasons why I have come to love incredible narratives in video games.
-Secret of Mana taught me that it is okay, and sometimes even more effective, to have a clear plot from beginning to end. I don’t often love the stories without too many twists and turns (it is pretty clear all throughout the game who the villain is, and that the hero will likely turn into one of the “destined hero” archetypes), but the plot is so crisp and well-crafted, it hardly matters. This story definitely taught me that creating a story based on a familiar formula is not a curse. It’s all in the execution.
-Final Fantasy VI had one of the most effective villain ascensions that I can recall in a video game. I’ve seen a 2nd-in-command suddenly turn ambitious and attempt to strike down his/her master, and I’ve seen a clear cut villain rise to become something unspeakable, but until FFVI, I can’t say I ever saw someone I thought was nothing more than a clown turn into a legitimate villain.
Kefka, the main villain of FFVI, begins the game as what appears to be a neurotic more than a psychotic. Even as he shows signs of his true madness, it still doesn’t prepare you for the unimaginably awe inspiring villainy he wreaks later.
By the end, he has literally turned the world inside out, burns whole cities simply for pleasure, and has created a massive tower made of the ruined scraps of the world, drawn together by his twisted magic. So yeah, this guy turns out to be one fucked up villain.
Plus, he has a wicked theme—and probably the most legendary laugh in all of video games:
-Breath of Fire II started off in a way that I can hardly recall any videogame beginning. You begin as a child who wanders off and falls asleep near a dragon who died years ago to protect the village where you live. But when you wake up and wander back to town, nobody there recalls you, your father, or your sister EVER having lived there. Needless to say, it started off trippy, and only got more strange after meeting another ”orphan” named Bow, a dog person (this an rpg, after all), who is also a child, who convinces you to leave the town with him. Which only seemed like the right thing to do since nobody there had any memory of you. The two of you leave town and eventually wander into a cave where some giant behemoth demon worm is waiting… Then you wake up as if from a dream, a young adult.
What I learned from BoFII is, creating a tasty mystery at the beginning of a story can be quite satisfying when you get to see it unveiled, little by little, as the story progresses. I learned this from books and films, too, but it was awesome to get to have such an interactive experience with the story that only a video game can really provide.
-Final Fantasy VII let me play a character who was living as if his slain best friend’s memories were his own. All the while, the main character Cloud uncovers more about his true past, delves into the pasts of the people he is traveling with, and features one of the most well-executed death scenes in the history of rpgs. If anything, FFVII taught me that the death of a main character isn’t always merely for sensationalist purposes; sometimes, it is what needs to happen for a story to advance in a real way. Death has as much of a rightful place in story as love, pain, glory, or any other emotion—perhaps even moreso.
That said, it also made me realize that a meaningful death in a story can’t be too obvious. It has to be handled delicately.
-Phantasy Star: The End of the Millenium let me start the game out with a clear idea of who the main protagonist was, who was the sidekick, and who was the main villain. Fast forward about 2/5ths of the way through the game and, suddenly, the “main character” is dead, the sidekick turns out to be the true hero, and the “main villain” was merely a pawn for some dark God chained up in a neverending void plane that wanted to break free of its prison. Add to that the fact that there is little to no hint your story will even leave the planet you start on, and it makes for an excellent entry to a galaxy wide saga.
Later, you wind up traveling to other worlds, learning more about the great evil that plagues these places, and you also learn more about the history of the Phantasy Star series. Despite this, you never lose the sense that this is your character, your story, and the concerns of the galaxy are just a well-connected set piece that enhances the overall story. I think the most important thing I learned from this game is: don’t be afraid to get grandiose in your vision for a narrative. If you work it just right, it is possible to create something that spans worlds, yet still feels kind of insular in its own way.
* * *
There are a number of different things that affect how you are going to react to a story. Narrative is only one part. Music is another one, but just as important as the music and the narrative, a story’s setting informs how the rest of the story is going to feel. If the world feels dead, why should you give a rat’s ass about it?
One thing about all the games I’ve played that really stuck with me, maybe even more than the overall narrative, was how the setting felt. For me, setting is maybe the most important part of a good story. Just a change of scenery can have a drastic effect on the feel of a story. You might even say a profound effect. But even deeper still, the marriage of music and setting is probably the aspect of video games I enjoy most. It’s what often makes the game for me.
All the games I’ve played have incredible settings, and incredible themes to support them. As I type this a couple come to mind:
City of the Ancients (Final Fantasy VII)
There was something about being in this city for the first time that really grabbed me. The music was a big part of it.
This piece was so different from the other pieces in this game’s soundtrack, I think that was one reason why it felt like stepping into another world. The architecture of the city—the empty, archaic buildings—definitely sold the rest. I remember wandering through this place just to hear the music and take in the feel. I can even recall leaving my character standing idle in the city just so I could sleep to this music once.lol
The City of the Ancients in this game became the archetype for me on how an olden city should feel. When I play new games with a similar setting, this is the game and theme I always return to for a comparison.
Dezolis (Phantasy Star IV)
Field #1
Town #1
Town #2
Field #2
I can say with 100% certainty, Dezolis is the setting that began my love of ice worlds in video games. There were so many things about it that I enjoyed, the ice caves, the indigenous animals with snow themes that you couldn’t find on any other world, the towns with bonfires all about filled with parka-adorned people milling around—and people inside the buildings remarking on how bitterly cold the weather had gotten outside.
Then you had the ice and snow drifts that made travel on the world a nightmare for normal citizens—including walls of ice that could only be broken through with a vehicle called the “Ice Digger”. PSIV really went the distance to make you FEEL like you were on an ice world, and I have nothing but respect for them for that.
When it comes to ice worlds, I find the most effective music has a “crystalline” quality to it, similar to “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy“ from Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker (which is still, to me, the archetypal “inviting” winter song that can be heard in many winter-themed musical pieces even more than a century after it was written).
There are two ways to really portray winter: inviting or oppressive.
Do you focus on the beauty of winter, or the bitter cold? The clear ice, or the blinding blizzard?
This is why in a game like the upcoming Star Wars: The Old Republic, Alderaan is my favorite ice world and not Hoth. While both are technically “winter worlds”, Alderaan comes across as more of an “inviting” winter, while Hoth just feels like it will be more “oppressive”. The same could be said of zones like Winterspring (inviting) and Dragonblight (oppressive) in World of Warcraft. Both have their good sides, but my tastes tend to shift toward inviting.
Dezolis managed to give you both. When you first reach the planet, they are in the grip of a terrible blizzard that doesn’t cease. Even on a natural snow world, this blizzard begins to threaten the lives of the people. Early Dezolis is what I would call an oppressive winter world. Later, after you have destroyed the creature causing the blizzard, Dezolis becomes more of an inviting winter world. The music above reflects the change: Dezolis Field #1 is the oppressive world map theme when you first arrive on the planet, while Dezolis Field #2 is what plays on the world map after you’ve halted the blizzard.
Dezolis was the archetype for a good winter environment, on both sides of the inviting/oppressive divide, for me. It was a world that I loved, and anytime I go into a new game with winter environments, I hope to see at least one winter place that is inviting.
* * *
This seems like a good stopping point. I feel like my nostalgia needs to die down for the moment.
I hope this was somewhat entertaining to anyone who happens to come across this piece. I certainly had a good stroll down memory lane while I was writing it.
Part 3—the final part—will be incoming in the next week or so. With PAX East on the way tomorrow, I don’t dare promise more (even if I’m not going, I would hate to miss the coverage).
One of the most persistent questions floating around the The Old Republic community has finally, FINALLY, been put to rest.
The Jedi in the “Hope” cinematic trailer is, indeed, Satele Shan.
Alexander Freed, a developer at BioWare Austin, offered some clarification on what he considered ”understandable confusion” as to the identity of the Hope Jedi:
There’s been a lot of (understandable) confusion about Satele Shan, so I figured I’d clarify a few points:
First, yes–Satele Shan is the Jedi depicted in the Hope trailer. When Satele originally appeared in the Threat of Peace comics, her appearance wasn’t yet final in-game. Ultimately, we’ve gone in a different visual direction for the character, and you’ll be seeing more consistent portrayals in the future. (One of the perils of releasing information–even seemingly innocuous information–so early!)
Second, regarding Satele’s age and experience–at the Battle of Alderaan, Satele is a fully trained Jedi Knight. By the time Threat of Peace rolls around, she’s had significant real-world experience and trained under several Jedi Masters, Dar’Nala included; she’s a candidate for becoming a Master herself. So she’s older than she looks… but Darth Malgus still has a few years on her!
Third, to answer this thread specifically… no, that wasn’t Tavus leading troops at the Battle of Alderaan.
Hope that helps!
This change in design was evident in the Hope trailer, which showcased Satele in a far different character design from her turn in ToP (as you can see below).
...Yeah...I can see where there might be some confusion...
All kidding aside, the most important thing is, we now have a name to put with the face. Also, if you were a big fan of the Hope Jedi’s character design (which I was), then you should be backflipping in joy (figuratively—don’t go breaking any bones or anything) right now.
Below I will post a promo pic of the newly confirmed Hope Jedi/Satele Shan for a new webcomic that is to be released this summer, as well as a link to a brief synopsis. The webcomic, called Lost Suns, follows the exploits of Satele’s son, Theron Shan, a spy for the Galactic Republic.
Yes please.
I am relieved that the confusion has been cleared. Though I’m sure it will take some time to get this information around to those who only casually follow the game, to be able to back up theories with fact is beyond sweet. (Plus, those of us who absolutely dug the design of the Hope Jedi can now rejoice that we should be seeing much more of her as new media is released.)
I am going to post some screenshots, and of course the Hope trailer, in celebration. Enjoy.
Hmm, what's going on here?
Ah, now I see where this is going.
Few people have gone head-to-head with Darth Malgus in a lightsaber duel and lived to tell about it, just ask Ven Zallow ( R.I.P.).
Where the hell did she go?
Ok, time to die---oh NO you didn't!
Oh yes she did.
What comes next I wonder?
The coup de grace a.k.a. "Force-douken"
"I gotta admit, that was pretty badass."
"I know."
Star Wars: The Old Republic- The Hope of Alderaan cinematic
