SWTOR hands-on preview

[Joiry_]

Seen a few of these reports at various MMO sites, but this one is by far the most detailed. Actually, the whole site seems to have a lot of SWTOR info, but then, it is SW focused ;)

http://darthhater.com/2010/03/15/gdc-trooper-hands-on-tor-game-play-impressions/

My impression is the overall world/game design seems cool, but their class concepts suck. There's even a link in this article to some info they got about smugglers back in december. Seems to suggest if you want to be a ranged smuggler, you pretty much have to go dual pistols...I suspect you can do it single pistol, but not be as effective... I bet you couldn't even equip non-pistol ranged weapons...

And no, I won't be healing you with my illegal black market medicine, that's what medics are for. Oh wait, there are no medics...

[Balcifer]

Aren't the Consulars medics.... of a sort?

[Joiry_]

If you read the smuggler article, apparently several classes are getting a "battle heal", consulars, smugglers, and inquistors. Other classes, like the trooper, have an out-of-combat heal.

[Joiry_]

A bit off topic, but its my thread, so I'll derail it as I like.

Rumors are abounding about SWTOR using microtransactions...rumors with stronger evidence than those Alirc saving a ship full of Twi'lek slave girls whenever he's late for a briefing (and yet it still keeps coming up for some reason...)

http://kotaku.com/5496430/star-wars-mmo-pricing-plan-may-have-some-twists

[Balcifer]

Joiry_ wrote:

A bit off topic, but its my thread, so I'll derail it as I like. Rumors are abounding about SWTOR using microtransactions...rumors with stronger evidence than those Alirc saving a ship full of Twi'lek slave girls whenever he's late for a briefing (and yet it still keeps coming up for some reason...) http://kotaku.com/5496430/star-wars-mmo-pricing-plan-may-have-some-twists

http://kotaku.com/5372503/sleuths-dig-up-microtransaction-language-in-old-republic-tos

Yeah the above link within that post shows a supposed screenshot of the TOS for testers. It talks about points and a Game Store. Of course, there's no context on the screenshot and could easily be something else and someone just screwing around. I'm giving the SS the benefit of the doubt, though. It seems more games are doing microtransactions these days, even other Bioware Single Player games like Mass Effect 2 and Dragon Age, so I don't think it's all that farfetched that Bioware puts them in their new MMO.

[Joiry_]

This guy usually has pretty lucid things to say about the MMO industry, and has worked on several MMOs (so, should at least be familiar with costs and such). His estimate, based on what's been publicly said, is SWTOR may cost $150 million to make.

http://www.mmorpg.com/showFeature.cfm/feature/4115/Scott-Jennings-Great-Expectations-SWTOR.html

[Joiry_]

I was following some links on yet another discussion on the "holy trinity", which led me to this one game designer's defense of the trinity. Turns out, he's the lead combat designer for SWTOR

http://www.zenofdesign.com/2009/12/23/the-tank-is-the-trinity/

[Joiry_]

The friday developer letter is on world design. I have a number of issues with it.

http://g4tv.com/videos/45101/The-MMO-Report-Thursday-April-1st/?quality=hd

First, it falls into the standard dev-hype trap of "yes, we're going to make the MMO that "gets it"" and is all things to all people, and is awesome, and you'll worship us as MMO gods.

Second, the opening of the arguments is essentially strawmanning the two points of views, even adding elements to them that are not core features. Not all sandbox games are free for all pvp with full loot drops as he implies. Nor are most "theme-park" games truly on rail tracks.

They'll take the "middle road" or centrist track. That either means, well, they're not going to be purely one or the other (duh, pretty much every game is purely one or the other). Or, they'll make a game that makes very few people happy.

[Balcifer]

Joiry_ wrote:

The friday developer letter is on world design. I have a number of issues with it. http://g4tv.com/videos/45101/The-MMO-Report-Thursday-April-1st/?quality=hd First, it falls into the standard dev-hype trap of "yes, we're going to make the MMO that "gets it"" and is all things to all people, and is awesome, and you'll worship us as MMO gods. Second, the opening of the arguments is essentially strawmanning the two points of views, even adding elements to them that are not core features. Not all sandbox games are free for all pvp with full loot drops as he implies. Nor are most "theme-park" games truly on rail tracks. They'll take the "middle road" or centrist track. That either means, well, they're not going to be purely one or the other (duh, pretty much every game is purely one or the other). Or, they'll make a game that makes very few people happy.

I want my 8 minutes back.... there was nothing in that link about SWTOR.

[Joiry_]

Balcifer wrote:

I want my 8 minutes back.... there was nothing in that link about SWTOR.

Uh...ooops. I guess I win this weeks idiot prize. I must have copied the url from the wrong tab and not double checked (which is odd, because I nearly always double check...).

http://www.swtor.com/news/blog/20100402_001

[kernelsanders-radiant]

Stolen verbatim from my post on YaMB's forums.
Thanks for the link. Not a bad read. A mention that crafting needs to be making items for other players not just yourself and promise of a letter addressing crafting is on the way. I was glad to see "this is in every way shape and form a MMO" but disappointed by no real discussion of why it is followed, just talk of group play. The importance of community was touched upon, but no real mention of what community building things will be present. No mention of space either. Hopefully that is one of the systems that he/she/they promises "more to come" on. Of course, for me, without X-Wings and TIE fighters, not sure how Star Warsy it can really be in space.

Overall, it was a good PR piece, but just that. Fluff and mentions but no real depth. The fanbois on that board seemed to love it though. Sure would be nice if LA, EA, or Bioware higher ups would let them give us some real details. I wasn't around the community back in the day, was SWG discussion like this back in the days before Betas?

Not trying to be a negative nancy, just wishing they would show something that interested me.

[Celaki Goshi]

kernelsanders-radiant wrote:

Stolen verbatim from my post on YaMB's forums. Thanks for the link. Not a bad read. A mention that crafting needs to be making items for other players not just yourself and promise of a letter addressing crafting is on the way. I was glad to see "this is in every way shape and form a MMO" but disappointed by no real discussion of why it is followed, just talk of group play. The importance of community was touched upon, but no real mention of what community building things will be present. No mention of space either. Hopefully that is one of the systems that he/she/they promises "more to come" on. Of course, for me, without X-Wings and TIE fighters, not sure how Star Warsy it can really be in space. Overall, it was a good PR piece, but just that. Fluff and mentions but no real depth. The fanbois on that board seemed to love it though. Sure would be nice if LA, EA, or Bioware higher ups would let them give us some real details. I wasn't around the community back in the day, was SWG discussion like this back in the days before Betas? Not trying to be a negative nancy, just wishing they would show something that interested me.

With you on the bolded part. So far, SWTOR is looking like a bust to me with no mention of playable races or actual space content/combat. I love TIEs and X-Wings but flying something from the Old Republic could be fun as long as they were not overpowered like the RotW ships.

I'm not looking forward to this game, even with the Star Wars title on it. The classes don't really interest me and, along with my previously mentioned part about races and space, that brings the hype down to a quiet sigh in a soundproof room.

[Joiry_]

http://www.gametrailers.com/video/exclusive-combat-star-wars/64689?type=flv

I love how they talk about breaking away from various MMO combat mechanics, yet show nothing but combat scenes that are fairly generic to any MMO. A total disconnect between what they claim and what they show.

Plus, one of the devs looks twelve years old. He may be very competent, I just can't get over how young he looks...[/url]