Possible 1.2 release date / Window

• Early Friday, April 6th it was announced on the SWTOR site that Update 1.2 Legacy was going to the live servers on Tuesday, April 10th. Screen shot @ TorWars.com
• The front page announcement was removed within a few hours
• BioWare’s Joveth Gonzalez posted on the forums that this was just a typo.
  • ”Just to confirm, we are not going to be deploying Game Update 1.2 on Tuesday. This was a minor text error that has since been corrected. I’ll be closing this thread and redirecting you all to this main discussion that is currently underway. Rest assured, that you will know ahead of time when Game Update 1.2 is going to be released. Thanks” Original Post
• TorWars Article
• In Reality “PAX East: Day 1 MMORPG.com Panel With James Ohlen Audio”Audio Clip
  +Well, Star Wars: The Old Republic is already out so I won’t plug the gameplay because I am sure everyone already knows what that is. For 2012 we really want players to, going back to the subscription model, feel like they’re getting their money’s worth. So the scope of our game updates in 2012 is going to be unimaginable. You’re going to see so many changes and additions to the Star Wars Universe, it’s going to be impressive. We have our Update 1.2 coming in the next week and then after that it’s going to continue to roll out month after month. It’s exciting.
  • Stephen Reid Tweet indicates that that statement might be correct

PAX Information

• PAX East Meet and Greet
  • Date: Saturday, April 7th
  • Time: 8:00PM –11:00PM
  • Location: Room 105 in the Boston Exhibition & Convention Center (e.g. the BioWare Base)
  • DavidBass Forum Post
• Titles from TestServer Play
  • All titles will still be available to be gained from playing on PTS in the future.
  • ‘First Line of Defense’ : attaining Level 10 with any new character on PTS
  • ‘The Cutting Edge’ : finishing Chapter 1 with any new character on PTS
• Commendations
  • Centurion, Champion, and Battlemaster are getting deprecated in Game Update 1.2
  • Cap on Warzone Commendations is increasing
• Unassembled PvP Tokens will be deprecated and have no value in Game Update 1.2
• VIP areas on the fleets will be getting new items in the future, but they can’t give you an exact estimate on when just yet
• They will eventually allow the Guildmaster to set who can see the guild ledger via permissions – this will not make 1.2, but is definitely coming in a future update
• Augment schematics are not learned via the crafting trainers. They are acquired as Sliced Tech Part mission critical rewards through Slicing.
• Sniper rifles will no longer drop for Republic players, so what about Risha and Zenith?
  • Sniper rifles can still be crafted, purchased from vendors, and modded
  • In Game Update 1.2, weapons that drop more frequently on one side can always be mailed across from the other side with legacy characters

Live the Ship Droid Experience!

• New Feature for Game Update 1.2 !
• Announced on April 1, 2012
• A player’s starship is like home, companions are like family and the Ship Droid is the hero
• Live the Ship Droid Experience!
• Ship Droid the Mini-Game
• Finally ready with the necessary polish to release with this 1.2 update
• With the mini-game you can now participate in several exciting duties including calibrating ship food, clean the cockpit windows
• Mini-Game’s
• Storyline
• Your hero has a story, you can even enhance that through companion stories
• Now you will be able to have a meaningful impact on your story, which can change the climate aboard the starship
• Storyline
• Etiquette(Social) Points
• Playing your Ship-Droid you can earn Etiquette Points in conversations, even unlock romance options
• Etiquitte(Social) Points
• Add-on Mini-Game’s
• Among the items unlockable for the in-game droid vendor, are add-on mini-games
• Add-on Mini-Game’s
• Main Hero as a companion
• When you hit maximum etiquette points you can unlock the ability for your main hero to be your Droid-ship companion
• You class character can become the companion
• Article
• Live the Ship Droid Experience!
• Updates!
• Stephen Reid tweeted that it had to be cut
• Confirmation came through that the Ship Droid mini-dage was only a April Fool’s joke

Quick look at UI Customization

• A Quick Look at UI Customization
• Lead Interface Artist Michael Voigt(Vote) Hosts the overview
• The UI Updates were based on a large amount of Community Feedback
• The pre 1.2 Appearance is still available, but the user can be very creative
• Retro pre-made Layout specifically designed for players coming from other MMO’s
• Full layout Editor allows the user to adjust EVERYTHING
• Video’s
• YouTube Video A Quick Look at UI Customization
• Check Out the Video on the UI to get full details on the new UI

Increase in Old Republic friend trial invites

• Third Weekend Trial
• April 05 – April 09, 2012
• At the release of this episode a third Weekend pass will have come and gone
• Each Weekend Passes lets people who are interested or curious in the game a chance to try the game
• Number of Invites available
• Now you have 25 friend 7-day invites
• An invited individual has 14 days to begin the trial
• Used or unused the previous three invites do count towards the 25 invites
• What can you do with a trial
• The four Origin Worlds are explorable and the opening adventures for each class on all server types
• Can use local chat, group chat, guild chat, whisper and responses to whispers.
• Able to receive in-game mail during the trial.
• Any characters your friends create will not be deleted should they purchase the game, although abandoned trial account characters could be deleted
• Restrictions
• Level cap : 15
• Crew Skill cap : 40
• Limited to the the classes Origin world, Capital World, Fleet, Warzone, 1st Flashpoint
• Will not be able to use general chat, trade chat, or PvP chat.
• Send or reply to mail from other trial characters
• Use the Galactic Trade Network or trade with other players.
• Can’t gail Legacy XP
• For more information
• Star Wars : TOR, friends trial website
• Friends Trial FAQ

EA dismisses concerns of pro-family, anti-gay groups

• EA is standing up for same sex relationships in games despite outrage from some
• EA has supposedly been inundated in recent weeks with letters and emails protesting LGBT content in its video games, most notably Mass Effect 3 and Star Wars: The Old Republic.
• EA confirmed that they have received some letters/email, and unsurprisingly, EA has no plans to censor any of its games.
• Jeff Brown, VP of corporate communications “Every one of EA’s games includes ESRB content descriptors so it’s hard to believe anyone is surprised by the content. This isn’t about protecting children, it’s about political harassment,”
• The letters have been directed to EA’s executive team, creative heads, its board of directors and just about anyone at a high level. Many of them threaten to boycott EA’s titles if the publisher refuses to remove same-sex relationship content
• The letters also infer that EA was pressured by LGBT groups to include homosexual content in its games, and that this content is somehow forced upon children, exposing them to LGBT themes. This article’s Author says, “those of you reading this already know how ludicrous this is, The games are not for children, nor do they force LGBT content on a player – it’s merely an option for gamers who wish to replicate their real-life sexual orientation.”
• Some of the letters also complain that EA is deliberately deleting posts against LGBT issues on its official forum, which is true when the comments happen to violate discussion rules on hate speech.
• Various LGBT Groups such as Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, & Human Rights Campaign, Applaud EA and Bioware for their inclusive approach to their products
• Michael Cole-Schwartz, HRC quoted “EA’s progressive stance is a sign of the times and other publishers should take notice.”
• Articles
• EA dismisses concerns of pro-family, anti-gay groups @ GamesSpot.com(https://www.gamespot.com/news/ea-dismisses-concerns-of-pro-family-anti-gay-groups–6370109)
• EA stands up for same sex relationships in games despite outrage from some GameIndustry.biz
• Reported on by all major media (Forbes, MSNBC, Associated Press)

Sith Warrior

• Storyline Overview
• Sith Acolyte – arrive on Korriban to undergo training.
• Work your way up to being an apprentice.
• Operate as a weapon for your Darth in service to his political machinations in the Sith Empire.
• Fitting into the MMO Trinity
• Fitting into the MMO Trinity
  • Tank (Juggernaut properly spec’d)
  • DPS Either Advanced Class spec’d appropriately
• Advanced Class Variants
• Juggernaut
  • Tank / Damage
• Marauder
  • Damage Over Time or Burst Damage
• Hybrid
  • Juggernaut : spec’d with points in both the tanking tree and the damage tree(s) (mixing lightsaber forms) Soresu, Shien, Shii-Cho
  • Marauder spec’d with points in the DoT tree and Burst DPS tree (mixing lightsaber forms) Juyo, Ataru, Shii-Cho
• Complimentary Companions
• Vette – Ranged DPS (romance option male)
  • Cunning – acquired at the end of the Korriban story arc
• Malavai Quinn – Medic (romance option female)
  • Cunning – acquired upon finishing Balmorra
• Lieutenant Pierce – Ranged Tank (romance option female)
  • Aim – acquired upon finishing Taris
• Broonmark – Melee Tank (Don’t even try tappin that)
  • Strength which makes it easy to give him your hand-me-downs
  • acquired upon finishing Hoth
• Jaesa Wilsaam– Melee DPS (romance option male)
  • Willpower – acquired at the end of act 1
• Equipment / Stats Overview
• Strength
  • Primary Attribute for improving damage to all melee attacks and powers
• Endurance
  • Improving Health and should be the focus of Tank spec’d Juggernauts
• Iconic Moves
• Force Choke
• Saber Throw
• Juggernaut
  • Force Push
  • Soresu (Defensive Form) used by Obi-Wan Kenobi in the fight with General Grievous
• Marauder
  • Dual Wieldling lightsabers
  • Juyo and Ataru Lightsaber forms, Juyo used by Darth Maul and Ataru used by Obi-Wan Kenobi during their battle on Naboo

Sith Inquisitor

• Storyline Overview
• Former Slave – arrive on Korriban to undergo Sith training.
• Work your way up as the underdog to being an apprentice to a sith lord.
• You play Indiana Jones for your Master as she searches for ancient sith artifacts to gain power.
• Fitting into the MMO Trinity
  • Tank (Assassin properly spec’d)
  • Healer (Sorcerer)
  • DPS Either Advanced Class spec’d appropriately
• Advanced Class Variants
• Assassin
  • Tank / Damage
• Sorcerer
  • Healer / Damage Over Time Tree / Burst Damage
• Hybrid
• Sorcerer [Healer / Damage Over Time / Burst]
  • With points in healing and damage trees
• Assassin [Healer / Damage Over Time / Burst]
  • With points in tank and damage trees
  • With points in range and melee damage trees
• Complimentary Companions
• Andronikos Revel – Ranged DPS (romance option Female)
  • Cunning – acquired at the end of the Korriban story arc
• Talos Drelik – Medic
  • Cunning – acquired upon finishing Balmorra
• Xalek – Ranged Tank (Inquisitors Apprentice)
  • Aim – acquired upon finishing Taris
• Khem Val – Melee Tank
  • Strength which makes it easy to give him your hand-me-downs
• Ashara Zavros– Melee DPS (romance option male)
  • Willpower – acquired at the end of act 1
• Equipment / Stats Overview
• Light Armor
• Willpower
• Endurance
  • Improving Health and should be the focus of Tank spec’d Assassin’s
• Appropriately spec’d lightsaber/double-bladed saber
  +Focus in offhand/Shield for Tank spec’d Assassin
• Iconic Moves
• Force Lightning
• Seeth (Darth Maul style pacing)
• Sorcerer
  • Force Storm
  • Death Field
• Assassin
  • Stealth
  • Maul/Any Double-bladed Saber Action

Next Episode Teaser

• “A Heart Of Credits” – Smugglers and Bounty Hunters and Credits…OH MY!
• The 1.2 patch might be released to the live servers…fingers crossed!

The post Power of the Sith | TORked 3 first appeared on Jupiter Broadcasting.

https://original.jupiterbroadcasting.net/11676/pax-2011-wrap-up-jn-210/ Thu, 01 Sep 2011 21:58:06 +0000 https://original.jupiterbroadcasting.net/?p=11676 We share their biggest surprises from PAX and their boggiest disappointments. Plus why the platformer is stronger than ever!

The post PAX 2011 Wrap-Up | J@N | 210 first appeared on Jupiter Broadcasting.

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The guys wrap up their trip to PAX PRIME 2011, and share their biggest surprises from PAX and their biggest disappointments. Plus why the platformer is stronger than ever!

OUR DRINK:

Honest Tea Certified Organic

TV:

• David Foster Readying To Pitch New STAR TREK T.V. Series To CBS
• io9 has put together a nice concise list of upcoming new fantasy/sci-fi shows, with videos!
• Battlestar Galactica: Blood and Chrome Webseries

MOVIES:

• Star Wars Blu-Ray gets another round of rage-inducing alterations
• Superman’s costume is stupid looking

COMICS:

The Flagship of DC’s relaunch – “Justice League” – hit stores yesterday. Anyone read it?

• Avengers 1959 – A retro romp during Marvel’s Cold War

GAMES:

PAX! Let’s talk indie and retro gaming…

HAPPY FUN MUTUAL MOVING PICTURE TIME THING:

Hackers!

NEXT WEEK

• The Final Countdown
• Amazon.com: The Final Countdown (Widescreen Edition)
• Amazon.com: The Final Countdown [Blu-ray]
• The Final Countdown (1980) – IMDb

The post PAX 2011 Wrap-Up | J@N | 210 first appeared on Jupiter Broadcasting.

]]> https://original.jupiterbroadcasting.net/10972/rusty-hearts-mmorgue-12/ Sat, 06 Aug 2011 07:45:17 +0000 https://original.jupiterbroadcasting.net/?p=10972 We go hands-on and feature a first-impression gameplay extravaganza, of Perfect World Entertainment’s new side-scroller action RPG, Rusty Hearts.

The post Rusty Hearts | MMOrgue 12 first appeared on Jupiter Broadcasting.

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As convention season rolls on, we’ve begun gearing up for GamesCom and PAX Prime. NCSoft and ArenaNet have started their hype engines in anticipation, and we’ve got information and opinions to share with you regarding their announcements.

The heart of today’s episode will be a hands-on first-impression gameplay extravaganza, of Perfect World Entertainment’s new side-scroller action RPG, Rusty Hearts. The game recently entered Closed Beta, and I’ve got gameplay and info to show you whether or not it’s worth your gaming time to get excited for the impending launch of this title.

Also, share your thoughts regarding the psuedo-MMO, League of Legends! Should the MMOrgue cover this wildly popular arena-style PvP game, or does it not have a place among discussion of the MMO industry?

Direct Download Links: HD Video | Large Video | Mobile Video | MP3 Audio | YouTube

MMOrgue iTunes Feeds:	MMOrgue RSS Feeds:
HD Video iPad & Apple TV Video iPod Video MP3 Audio	HD Video RSS Large Video RSS Mobile Video RSS MP3 Audio RSS

Show Notes:

T-Shirt of the Week:

“I am the Chosen One”

CafePress
* I am the Chosen One – Baseball Jersey
* I am the Chosen One – Tee

Officially attending PAX Prime 2011

Aug 26-28
Maybe we can meet up?
+ Watch my Twitter (@JBJeremy) and Jupiter Colony for more info on that, but definitely let me know if you’re planning to attend.
+ This might also mean no official episode the week following, but I’m hoping to roll out mini-episodes filled with footage from the floor, interviews, and anything else I can shove my camera in front of.
+ More scheduling information on that will be announced in a future episode, as we draw closer to the convention.

Before we move on to today’s main editorials, I’d like to request your feedback on the topic of…

League of Legends

Are you interested? A current player?
I’m considering a future episode about the title due to some recent news coverage, to discuss the psuedo-MMO nature of this online arena game, but would like to hear thoughts from the community before I move forward with the planning and research.

Recent LoL news that’s caught my eye:

Ten LoL matches are created each SECOND (3.7 mil hours a day in-game)
LoL boasts 15million registered accounts

If you have any opinions to share on the matter, please head to our show page and post a reply at the bottom of that page.

NCSoft – new developments…

NCSoft announcing new MMO title at Gamescom

Announcement from developer = Carbine Studios
+ “…games that can adapt to you instead of the other way ‘round.”
+ While the game will be unveiled at Gamescom, they will also be at PAX where I’ll try and drag out more information, if they’re really innovating the MMO market.

MMOCrunch researches recent trademark registrations … but it’s just names, no details
* Influx
* Blighted Empire (rumored to have something to do with Guild Wars)
* Wildstar

The artwork on Carbine’s site gives the game world a decidedly fantasy flair, but also with what COULD be steampunk elements.

NCSoft obtains a controlling interest in smart phone app company, Hotdog Studios
(makers of mobile action RPG, Dark Shrine)
+ As an article on Massively points out, NCSoft has been very cautious about moving into the mobile gaming space so far, so this move came as something of a surprise.
+ May have something to do with the intention to develop an online mobile presence for Guild Wars 2…

Rusty Hearts – First Impressions

Official Homepage and Beta Signups

A side-scroller-ish hack & slash adventure grind, reminiscent of older console games like Double Dragon and Streets of Rage. But with the addition of persistent character advancement in the forms of skill and gear progression.

• Gender-locked classes (cut scenes, story a focal point)
• Camera-locked scroller experience
• Repetitive grinding
• Unique controls with a strange learning curve
• Best on a controller, but UI doesn’t feel like a console port
• Cash shop (items obtainable in-game via crafting, mostly)
• STAMINA system limiting grind of dungeons (doesn’t eliminate ability to play, just lessens rewards)

So far, I get the impression that the gameplay is not deep enough to satisfy the average gamer, but may interest anyone that would enjoy an anime-take on a Castlevania-like story. And with its low-low pricetag (free), maybe a weekend jaunt would be in order to find out whether or not this unique multiplayer experience is up your alley.

Rusty Hearts is still in Closed Beta, but more invites are being sent out on a fairly regular basis. Keep your eyes on Perfect World Entertainment’s website to find out more about Open Beta, and the eventual launch.

• MASSIVELY: First Impressions
• MMORPG’s Initial Thoughts
• MMOsite’s review

Tease of the Week

Guild Wars 2 PvP and Customization Coming at GamesCom
Since these same demos are likely to be available at PAX, I may hold off on reporting until I’ve gotten a load of them myself.

Unless something BIG happens in the MMO world, next week’s episode will be dedicated to the Best of MMO music, using many of the suggestions sent in by you guys.

The post Rusty Hearts | MMOrgue 12 first appeared on Jupiter Broadcasting.

]]> https://original.jupiterbroadcasting.net/10792/swtor-backlash-mmorgue-11/ Sat, 30 Jul 2011 14:56:42 +0000 https://original.jupiterbroadcasting.net/?p=10792 A recap of the Comic Con drama from a limited supply of pre-orders, overseas distribution errors, lack of communication, and general panic!

The post SWTOR Backlash | MMOrgue 11 first appeared on Jupiter Broadcasting.

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In this week’s MMOrgue, we cover the biggest MMO news to have scurried out from beneath the latex masks of San Diego Comic Con. Of course, the only real news on everyone’s mind has been the release of Star Wars: The Old Republic’s pre-orders, and the resulting DRAMA that unfolded from various distribution issues and a lack of product availability.

Before we get into the meat of that subject, we’ll also briefly cover NCSoft’s presence at SDCC, and DCUO’s Green Lantern “Power Ring” powerset announcements.

Direct Download Links: HD Video | Large Video | Mobile Video | MP3 Audio | YouTube

MMOrgue iTunes Feeds:	MMOrgue RSS Feeds:
HD Video iPad & Apple TV Video iPod Video MP3 Audio	HD Video RSS Large Video RSS Mobile Video RSS MP3 Audio RSS

Show Notes:

T-Shirt: Available at ThinkGeek!

Amazon Link: “Chaotic Evil” T-shirt

Thank for MMO music submissions! Added some to personal playlists. Keep ‘em coming!

Today was going to be SDCC recap, but only ONE story: SWTOR

Before we dive into that, let me tell you about a few others.

NCSoft held court, showing off Guild Wars 2 a bit.
But most of GW2 stuff will probably come out when ArenaNet attends PAX Prime this year.

NCSoft primarily focused on hyping up COH’s impending metamorphosis into a F2P game
New Trailer, new powersets!

Not to be outdone by their superpowered rivals
SOE announced the release of DCUO’s Green Lantern themed power sets
Nothing to say on powers, but the announcement deserves a minute

DCUO – Fight for the Light

First – this announcement missed the window of launching alongside the movie
Critically-panned, but blockbuster success nonetheless
DCUO has a history of missing real-world tie-ins…
Valentine’s Day almost a full month late, St. Patrick’s Day several weeks late.
If you cannot launch on time, don’t plan your content around RL events
It comes across as broken promises, and no fan will forgive you forever

Themed content isn’t sole failing point.
Prior to launch, promised monthly patches. To date, no two patches have come within <4 weeks of eachother.
Also promised free content, since the game is subscription based.

Well, how much does it feel like getting the big FINGER, when SOE announced that this new content patch will cost subscribers a fee of $10 to download and use?
They even had the BALLS to call it a DLC. A DLC! FOR AN MMO!
What are those monthly subscriptions going toward, if they won’t fuel the continued development and content release for the game?!

Expansions, OK… but THIS?!
It is so big a fail, I don’t really know how to quantify it.
I guess it’s just more fail on top of the pile that SOE continues to prove themselves to be.
Every time I start to feel like they’re redeeming themselves, they go and mismanage yet another project.

I guess there’s always hope for PlanetsideNEXT, right? hahaha

TORqued: The Pre-Order Saga

The biggest news from SDCC in the world of gaming, was easily Star Wars Old Republic’s pre-order availability, and the subsequent drama that unfolded over the few days following.

In this segment I’ll be walking you thru the events that unfolded and sharing my commentary along each step of this unfortunate series of events, as well as generally looking at the game’s future.

When the pre-orders were announced, this was the first time we heard the pricing of the Collector’s Edition… a whopping $150! Considering the fact that prior CEs of MMOs typically run for only between $80 and $100, this is a pretty significant leap in monetary investment. I’ve heard people saying you could potentially auction off the figurine on eBay if you wanted to recoup some of the cost, but let’s face it – that ain’t happening. The type of person that’ll buy a CE will keep that figurine and display it proudly, so the argument is moot.

But as it turns out, so, too, was the cost. You see, within 12 hours or so of opening pre-orders to the public, almost every major online retailer had completely SOLD OUT. A Q&A with Bioware at SDCC claimed they were NOT sold out, but retailers were singing a different tune. More units were eventually released for purchase the next morning, but by that time the damage was already done – Bioware’s precious hype had just suffered one of its first instances of public backlash, as angry fans found themselves unable to spend their money on the product Bioware had gotten them so excited about.

And unfortunately, it didn’t stop there. You see, the limited supply of pre-orders was only a factor here in the States. In the rest of the world, matters were even more complicated… In addition to only being available from an extremely limited number of retailers, some of those retailers (notably GAME.co.uk) are delaying the release of pre-order registration keys to customers that purchased the game. This isn’t usually a big deal with an MMO since a registration key is pretty much have one, or don’t. But with TOR’s launch, they are employing a tiered release schedule. Details are scarce, but it involves offering pre-launch access on a first-come/first-serve basis, based solely on the order in which your pre-order keys are registered. In other words, these retailers’ inability to supply those precious pre-order keys will prevent those customers from being among the first to enjoy the game, despite being among the first to PAY for it.

And it only adds insult to injury that some international markets actually do not have pre-orders available at all. Australia most notably. And although Bioware has confirmed that there will be no IP blocks based on region, allowing players in those regions to purchase a copy from overseas, playing on an overseas server is almost guaranteed to be a lag-infested experience. Particularly on launch day when so many people will be attempting to access the same pipelines and backbones.

All of this – the limited supply of pre-orders, the international delays, unavailability of units in certain regions – has only been made even worse by the sore lack of information coming out on the subject. Sure, Bioware devs have posted responses reassuring us that it’ll all be OK, but these issues are beyond their control. This is an EA issue – this is a publisher issue. The distribution of retail units, availability of pre-order keys, even the box cost itself. These are all items way above the pay grade of the folks creating the game that everybody is so eager to get their hands on.

And it fuels a very real, larger concern I have for the game in general.

The launch of SWTOR could potentially be the biggest MMO launch, ever. Bigger than WOW, bigger than AOC or WARhammer. By current estimations, we’re looking at millions of day-one adopters. EA and Bioware are NOT MMO companies, yet. And despite being able to learn quite a bit thru observation and second-hand accounts, there really is no substitute for hands-on experience. And I think this pre-order fiasco is proof of that matter.

It worries me. And not because I’m a fan of TOR, but because this game is going to become a benchmark for the industry. It’s broken the hype barrier and managed to become what most MMO enthusiasts are coming to refer to as the “Next Big Thing.” But not like AoC or RIFT were… this time it could be real, because there are professional reputations, huge budgets and ground-breaking development revolutions at play here. If anything marrs the launch of this game, it could leave a mark on the industry as a whole for years to come. MMOs already have the unfortunate reputation for launching as buggy, unplayable messes, and it is the big launches of the past that have given it that reputation. The more hype that preceeds a particular game’s launch, the more keenly those day-one disappointments are felt, and the louder the resonate throughout the media and gamer communities across the world. And let’s face it, there has never been another MMO with this level of hype steamrolling it onward. Every speed bump, every unexplained outage, every lag spike, exploit or imbalancing “I win” button… these will initially be complained about TOR’s communities, but the sheer volume of their negativity could quickly spill over to the rest of the MMO industry, and even into gaming in general.

We’re all in this together, and I don’t think that EA or Bioware understand that. Because they are not MMO companies. Yet.

And there WILL be issues. No matter how incredibly skilled Bioware’s QA department may be, there will be situations that only arise when you get tens or hundreds of thousands of players or more, are all accessing the same servers from locations all around the world, at the same time.

So what can be done at this point? Sadly, not much. As I said previously, TOR has broken the hype barrier… it’s a beast with a life of its own, and nothing at this point will reduce the fevered pitch of anticipation that’s been built into MMO gamers around the world.

My fears may be unfounded, and I’m hoping that they are. TOR will begin beta testing weekends in September, and I’m hopeful that these are stress tests. That Bioware will really run their servers thru the wringers and weed out every last glitch and bug before it’s opened up to the general public later this year. But even then, there’s no way you can prepare yourself for MILLIONS of players to hammer on your front door the day the game finally goes live.

Can You Run It?

SDCC Videos for SWTOR:

• Day 1: 2011 Comic-Con – Star Wars The Old Republic Q&A Session – 7.21.11
• 1st Day: SWTOR Comic-con 2011 Dev Q&A @July 21 (Full)
• Day 3: 2011 Comic-Con – Star Wars The Old Republic Q&A Session – 7.23.11
• Star Wars: The Old Republic Comic-Con 2011 Full Panel – 54 Minutes
• SDCC Comic-Con 2011 Live Floor – Interview (Stephen Reid) and Gameplay
• Star Wars: The Old Republic Comic-Con 2011 Panel – Details on Mounts and Companions
• Star Wars: The Old Republic – Space Combat [HD]

TEASE OF THE WEEK

More of a follow-up to a previous story…

Several episodes ago, I mentioned that XLGames and 2KGames had partnered up to create an MMO based on one of 2kGames successful franchises.

Well, we now have a confirmation, and unfortunately it’s not the Borderlands MMOFPS that I was hoping for…

XLGames announced Civilization Online

I think… I just stopped caring.

I’m sorry, I SHOULD be excited about another strategy game entering the MMO market, but I’ve just been so underwhelmed to date. Age of Empires Online was yawnworthy, and I’m hearing reviews of End of Nations sit squarely between “meh” and “BARF.” I just don’t know that this subgenre is destined for success in the MMO market. And now a traditionally turn-based strategy game is attempting to break into the market? Color me skeptical.

The post SWTOR Backlash | MMOrgue 11 first appeared on Jupiter Broadcasting.

]]> https://original.jupiterbroadcasting.net/2831/pax-2010-wrangle-up-lotso-16/ Fri, 17 Sep 2010 17:31:47 +0000 https://original.jupiterbroadcasting.net/?p=2831 Nearly the entire Jupiter Broadcasting crew attacked PAX equipped with cameras and we got the footage you weren't suppose to see!

The post PAX 2010 Wrangle-Up | LOTSO 16 first appeared on Jupiter Broadcasting.

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Nearly the entire Jupiter Broadcasting crew attacked PAX equipped with cameras and we got the footage our camera’s weren’t suppose to see!

Watch to see exclusive game play of some of the biggest titles!

PLUS:
The LOTSO crew gives you a full run down of the biggest surprises, craziest booths, bests games, and even the real stinkers of PAX 2010 Prime. It’s Penny Arcade Expo and it’s one of the biggest gaming events of the year.

All that and more on this episode of LOTSO!

Grab one of LOTSO’s feeds to get every release:

• iTunes Video Feed
• iTunes Audio Feed
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• Audio RSS Feed

Downloads, & Show Notes:

Friday the 24th is going to be a LOTSO Halo Reach LIVE game play EVENT! Join us for a live recording of LOTSO, and fire up your copy of Halo Reach and join us in battle!

Download:

The post PAX 2010 Wrangle-Up | LOTSO 16 first appeared on Jupiter Broadcasting.

]]> https://original.jupiterbroadcasting.net/2733/con-survival-guide-jupiternite-9210/ Thu, 02 Sep 2010 21:45:40 +0000 https://original.jupiterbroadcasting.net/?p=2733 From comfort, to health and economics, we’ll fill you in from head to toe on the dos and don’ts we’ve picked up along the way. Don’t leave home without this episode! Your continued survival may depend upon it!

The post Con Survival Guide | Jupiter@Nite | 9.2.10 first appeared on Jupiter Broadcasting.

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It’s a matter of life and death! Will you live to see the next Booth Babe, or die from Swine Flu before you even enter the premises? The boys of Jupiter@Nite have been prepping like mad for their upcoming ATTACK on PAX (aka Penny Arcade Expo) and now share with you fine people, the tips and tricks that they hope will allow them to survive the onslaught of awesome in one piece.

From comfort, to health and economics, we’ll fill you in from head to toe on the dos and don’ts we’ve picked up along the way. Don’t leave home without this episode! Your continued survival may depend upon it!

Show Feeds:

• HD Video RSS
• Large Video RSS
• iPod Video RSS
• MP3 RSS
• iTunes Feeds

Tonight’s Show Notes & Download Below:

Chris’ Must Haves

• Tactical Pants
• Tactical Shirt
• Extended Cell Phone battery (Chris bought this for his EVO 4G Jeremy got this for his iPhone), and charging options (plugs, etc) just in case.
• Google Docs / Spread Sheet if you are going with a couple peeps
• Kodak Zi8 – Awesome 1080p Flip Cam killer
• Relax, let yourself wander until you find something that strikes your fancy. Repeat if necessary. It really works!
• Wear very comfy shoes! (Jeremy says: Or buy new ones!)

Jeremy’s Recommendations:

• Pen on a cord
• Hand sanitizer (and USE it, after touching things like keyboards & controllers)
• Make your schedule ahead of time. (last year I did not, and ended up attending nothing!)
• When scheduling panels you think you might attend, be sure to read the names/titles of the people hosting.  Don’t waste an hour+ of your valuable ‘con floor time.
• Get a hotel room.
  • Even though we only live about 45 minutes from PAX, I am wishing now that I got a room nearby.  After-hours parties, no parking fees, easy commutes, etc etc.
• Exercise before hand, if you’re usually a sedentary type.

Alan’s Thoughts:

• poop

Valdeck says:  Treat it like a HIKE.

• Plenty of water, get your rest, bring GPS (in case you get lost under a nerd-a-lanch) and bandages.  And sunscreen if you’ll be outdoors much.

Download:

The post Con Survival Guide | Jupiter@Nite | 9.2.10 first appeared on Jupiter Broadcasting.

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