The Old Republic videos and misc info

[Firewind]

Re: The Old Republic videos and misc info

Given how Bioware completely and utterly ruined Warhammer Online by turning it from a very fun open world PvP game to a Pay-to-Win Grindfest where the only classes worth playing are Melee DPS, I have pretty low expectations for TOR.

That said I do have a lot of friends who are going to play it so I might give the trial a go to see if I like it. At the moment the only paid MMOs worth playing are Rift and FFXI so it would take my expectations being completely and utterly subverted for me to consider paying for another MMO.

[Murphie]

Re: The Old Republic videos and misc info

I think WAR was flawed from the beginning, and then that was compounded by needing to go F2P (which is never actually Free to Play) to stay afloat. There are ways to choose a F2P model that isn't Pay to Win, but they didn't go that way.

I haven't been following it, but I thought Warhammer Online was Mythic, but then, it's on Bioware's site, so I don't really know what's up with that.

I know this is like, Nerd heresy, but I don't even LIKE Star Wars that much. I generally prefer fantasy to sci-fi, so it's never really been my thing. That said, if enough people I liked were playing, I'd play. Just to spend time with friends.

[Firewind]

Re: The Old Republic videos and misc info

Bioware bought out Mythic and more or less took over the day to day running of it. Shortly after the game went Pay to Win and 20 extra Renown Ranks were added which turned the whole thing into a grindfest.

You also had to pay to go from 80-100 and also pay real money to get a mount after that patch. There are also various store items you can get that boost stats, which in a PvP game is really unbalancing.

Honestly I can see the same pay to win crap ending up in TOR. The only reason I'm interested in the game is because I will have lots of online friends playing the game and most of my guild from Rift is also going to form a new branch of the guild for the game. It's why I say I will at least give the game a go because I may well like it. I'm just keeping my expectations low for now until I try it out.

But between FFXIV, Age of Conan, DC Universe Online, Uncharted Waters Online, Phantasy Star Portable 2, there are plenty of very good free MMOs there which is why IMO, FFXI and Rift are the only games I really think are worth paying for anymore.

WAR is still decent if you have a ton of free time and really, really like Realm vs Realm and sieges, just don't expect to get anywhere anytime soon if your character is non-melee and under 85. I guess WoW is alright if you're in a guild you love playing with but Rift and FFXI do endgame stuff and lore better.

[Raydeus]

Re: The Old Republic videos and misc info

Yes.

orz

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: The Old Republic videos and misc info

I wish the F2P model wasn't so wildly varied. Some are "free" buy you still have to buy the base game {GW, EVE), others have access levels (DCUO), some games are free to a point {WoW} and others are pay-to-win, as Firewind put it.

I find DCUO's model the most agreeable. Base game is free, expansions are paid, spend so much for premium membership ($5) and if you want to lead a league or get the expansions for free you maintain a monthly fee.

DCUO's route increased revenue by like 700%, so yeah, not too bad for SOE. Now they're angling to take EQ2 that way.

I think FFXIV needs to re-think the monthly fees and maybe work on a new business model for it. I don't think TOR is going to last long on the subscription model, which is going to be a painful lessson considering the money they sank into this game, particularly on voice talent (which was taken to unnecessary levels in this one).

[Raydeus]

Re: The Old Republic videos and misc info

I don't think BW was wrong on investing so much on voiceovers for TOR.

But rather the real mistake was leaving everything else behind.



PS > And glad to hear DCUO is doing well, I might play it again sometime in the future.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: The Old Republic videos and misc info

That's the thing - most of the money went into voice acting for TOR from what I understand. If they keep making such large investments on acting, the shift is going to be jarring if they're eventually forced to go F2P.

That's where games like FFXIV and DCUO nailed it correctly - just give the acting its time and place rather than everywhere. Its true that FFXIV probably could use some VO in critical scenes, but it doesn't need it everywhere.

[Raydeus]

Re: The Old Republic videos and misc info

Using generic sounds/voices to refer to specific tones in the conversation/text would be a good compromise.

It's a cue I've always liked in games with mountains of text like Ryu ga Gotoku or even indie games like Recetear.

[Wise Donkey]

Re: The Old Republic videos and misc info

What I am enjoying the most about SWTOR is that, out of the MMOs I have played, there are only 3 that really focus the story on the PC as the hero. FFXI, FFXIV, and now, SWTOR. I like that.

[Hayde]

Re: The Old Republic videos and misc info

In general, I enjoyed my 3-4 days of beta testing this game over the holiday break. I can't say this game is any more intuitive than the past MMO's to come out in the recent years, other the voice-acting and dialogue options--which, let's admit here will briefly end once you hit end game and begin the long game that is grind-fest.

That being said, just as TM stated--I play MMO's mostly for the social aspects to hang out with others, and I know several friends over the past decade whom I've played other games with who are going to be jumping on this game, so I will do the same for nostalgia's sake. Whether the game holds my attention long term remains to be seen...but for what it's worth, the game plays very well as a single player RPG (save the atrocious respawn rates they need to fix on certain things, and some group quests) so at the very least, I'll get my 60 bucks worth over the course of 2-3 months if that's all the game has to offer.

[Raydeus]

Re: The Old Republic videos and misc info

I'm always sad seeing this kind of things because then when I see the in-game graphics they all look like it's Scooby Doo online instead of TOR. =S

[Rostum]

Re: The Old Republic videos and misc info

Space combat could be interesting.

The Grind: 1UP's RPG Blog : The Old Republic: Space Combat Takes After Rebel Assault

...they all look like it's Scooby Doo online instead of TOR. =S

Except they don't. Stylised graphics, that are actually pretty good in this case, does not equate to something bad or 'childish' that you seem to be implying.

[Firewind]

Re: The Old Republic videos and misc info

Bioware have said for a while that they have wanted to have their own graphical style. They said it alongside the release of Dragon Age 2 but you could easily see it as early on as Knights of the Old Republic.

Also the notion that "graphics make the game" is a rather shallow thing to live by. There are a LOT of games with horrible (by today's standards) graphics but are loved anyway.

I think people are just looking for things to complain about without buying the game (something that experience has shown me to be true about the FF series). I had low expectations for TOR as I had played an MMO ran by Bioware before and found it horrible. However TOR is a wonderful and extremely fun game that despite it's very valid negatives, subverted my expectations for the game.

What you need to remember is that The Old Republic is NOT AN MMO. At least it is not an conventional MMO. Bioware, for better or worse have gone into new territory with the direction they have taken with TOR, and well, given how many people they have playing the game right now, it has been a very sound business move. The easiest way of summing up Star Wars TOR is the following:

"It's a Bioware RPG with multiplayer"

If you like that sentiment then it is the game for you.

If you do not like that sentiment then it is not the game for you.

There are plenty of things that are wrong with TOR but complaining about graphics? Really?

[Raydeus]

Re: The Old Republic videos and misc info

No, TOR's graphics are shallow. They could've gone with something better but they decided WoW-ish was good enough.

Stylised graphics, that are actually pretty good in this case, does not equate to something bad or 'childish' that you seem to be implying.

Nah, I'm implying they are goofy and poor. Heck, proper "childish" Clone Wars-like cell shaded graphics would've worked better for TOR than that. But it's not like I'm playing the game so it's not a big deal. Just, saddening.

[Etra]

Re: The Old Republic videos and misc info

Raydeus, now you're just spouting nonsense just to save face. Blizzard's graphical styling is much different than Bioware's for their respective MMOs. Personally, I prefer WoW's style over SWTOR, but that could be because I'm more of a fantasy over sci-fi person (and, obviously, WoW styling would not work in a sci-fi MMO.) Anyways, getting off track, coming from someone who does not play the game, your opinion holds no value. Screenshots and videos do not count as "playing."

WoW: More flighty and vivid colors that melt into each other.
SWTOR: Raw, hard, and mechanical colors with a dash of neon lighting.

Seven years of progress - Imgur (and yes I'm aware the image is mocking how The Fleet has an Ironforge look.)

Played since that stress test took place over Thanksgiving and the game is decent. Some game design and coding flaws that most aren't too worried about right now, since it's launch and they were generally anticipated by those who are use to MMOs just starting out. Game is fun and casual enough that I don't feel the need to have to be logged in and playing all the time. Love my Gunslinger to death.