Star Wars: The Old Republic MMORPG by Bioware

[Havok]

My PC isn't too old, but it isn't that new either. I'll definitely keep an eye out for the system requirements and see what happens. I know I was able to run Final Fantasy XI alright, but that was a somewhat older game and even then I had to turn some effects off. I've just been really waiting for a Star Wars MMO, so if my PC can't run it, I guess all I can do is hope it comes out for 360.

 

[Darth_Fatso]

I really wish this was a standard RPG and not an MMO but I may still pick it up since KOTOR 1 and 2 are still my favorite SW games and imo the best SW stories outside the original Trilogy.

 

[THX-182]

I'm excited for this game. My girlfriend got me into World of Warcraft and if it is better than that in a Star Wars universe, then I'm in heaven.

 

[lerath666]

I'm a little trepaditious about this, as it's being talked of as a "micro-world" game, like second life, or Habbo hotel. meaning, the way you get in-game currency is by BUYING it from the company running the game. Hope that's a load of crap.
I've also been reading that in traditional RPG fashion, you get a Party of characters with you, as opposed to just your guy, and how you treat them affects their story, as well as yours, and in turn can change the way the galaxy is by the time you reach max level. NOT. LIKING. THAT. ONE. BIT.
There is Only ONE way they can make the game itself change for YOU as you go through it, and that would be making it a Fo MMO like Diablo 2, or Guild Wars. Majro city Hubs are like "chat rooms" where you can meet with other players, and interact with them, but the universe itself is unique as it is "instanced" and only avaliable to you.

God I hope i'm Wrong.

 

[darthviper107]

I'm not really understanding what you're saying.

It'll be like an MMO version of KOTOR, if it does have the party system like KOTOR you they are like friends that you can walk around with yet they're authentic to the game. They're making a big deal about the story so they've got big stories planned for all the different factions, but you make different decisions which will change what you're doing drastically. Think of it like KOTOR but instead of a bunch of NPC's everywhere they are other players.

I'm sure there will be many ways to interact with other players

 

[lerath666]

That's just it. ALOT of people ( namly production studios) Label Diablo and GuildWARS as MMO games. And they're not. but that's not the point just yet.

I've been an avid MMO Player, actively playing these games since Scars Of Veilous was released for the Original Everquest. a GOOd MMO has a decent mix of NPC's AND Player characters throughout the entire world.

Here, let me explane it a bit better.
Bioware says that your choices, how you treat your "party members" which quests you do, ETC will Drasticly change the world enviornment of the game for you.
My question is, how is this possible for EVEYRONE who plays it, if it's a true MMO?

the short answer is, it's not. the only way this can work, and everyone have a different end-game expierence like they say, is if te game is not a true MMO, but more like Guild wars, or Diablo.

Imagine trying to make a game like Fable into an MMO, or hell, think about how dramaticly different Kotor 1 and 2 are as you play through and make different choices. that's what the developers were aiming for, but there are only so many ways you can do something like that and make it work. NONE of them work in a True MMO enviornment.

In guild wars, for example, only the BIG CITY was the true MMO part. you went there between quests, looked for people to team up with, and then went out into the world to go questiong. as soon as you left the city, the game switches from an TRUE mmo, and into a simple multiplayer game. the only other players you'll encounter at this point are the ones with you. The city hubs, in effect, function simular to the chat rooms you use in Diablo when looking for people to go play with.

Is this a bad type of game? No, not at all, they're quite sucsessful, and popular. however, they're NOT MMO's any more than QUAKE, Or gears of war in campaign mode are. My only concern is they're promising us gold, but will only deliver copper.

I'm perfecty willing to accept that i can be wrong in this, and TBQH, I really hope i am. But with the information that's been given so far, I think I'm correct unfortunately.

 

[plasmid303]

I can understand what you're saying, Lerath. You're making it a bit more complex than need be.

It boils down to how a dynamic world can exist in our generation of gaming and the limitations it must adhere to. In a persistent MMO, players view the world and its inhabitants the exact same way and the choices they make cannot alter that dynamism in any drastic way insofar that it can interfere with other players.

Imagine that, in a Star Wars universe you and your party are sent to kill a bounty hunter. If you complete that quest, the bounty hunter is permanently killed, dead, kaput. In what Bioware is proposing, the causal nature of your course of actions would detrimentally affect other players in you world, meaning they won't be able to complete the quest, therefor they do not reap the benefits.

This concept just isn't ready for the current generation of gaming, but could you imagine how incredible it might be?

 

[darthviper107]

Also consider LOTR Online, people are at different places in their stories as far as where they can go and what they do, everyone's experience is different. Although I'm sure that TOR will be much better.

 

[plasmid303]

Also consider LOTR Online, people are at different places in their stories as far as where they can go and what they do, everyone's experience is different. Although I'm sure that TOR will be much better.

Right, but could you imagine if your sole act of completing certain story points in the game could make it so other lower leveled players cannot do those quests?

In most (if not all) MMO's, a quest is constant, no matter what part of the story a player happens to be within. It is there before you reach it, and it'll stay there long after you finish (for other players).

 

[darthviper107]

I don't see how that would be possible.

MMO's have to have a lot more content than regular games, and they've said the story for this is like 3 KOTOR games, to get that much content for users and yet have them be one-time quests would be impossible.

 

[IrishJedi]

New trailer from E3: https://www.gametrailers.com/video/e3-09-star-wars/49937



Jedi vs Sith goodness galore!

 

[bumblebee]

That looks great!

 

[naria]

Looks awesome!

 

[Matt S]

That gave me sith wood

 

[Darth Caedus]

I like how the main comment was this

This cinematic is better than Episodes I-III combined.

Which is SOOOOOOOOOO true. That kicked so much ass I'm going to have to change my pants now.

 

[plasmid303]

New trailer from E3: https://www.gametrailers.com/video/e3-09-star-wars/49937



Jedi vs Sith goodness galore!

Damn.
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.
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[THX-182]

I kinda wish they'd make more Star Wars movies like that. Those cinematics look great.

 

[plasmid303]

It looks like they solved the problem of everyone wanting to be a jedi (An issue with the SW Galaxies mmo).

 

[Darth_Fatso]

I can't stop watching that trailer. It kills me that this is an MMO and not a standard RPG otherwise this would easily be my most anticipated game ever.

 

[Spartan Rex]

Great trailer and great fodder for figures.
The SithLord was a Vader/Malak wannabe however.