Imperial Agent

• Fitting into the MMO Trinity
  • DPS Both Sniper & Operative Advanced Class
  • Healer Operative Advanced Class Medic Tree
• Advanced Class Variants
• Operative
  • Stealth DPS, Concealment Tree
  • Lethality Shared DPS Tree
  • Healing Medic Tree
• Sniper
  • Marksmanship Sniper Rifle Damage
  • Engineering Tech Damage Probes and other devices
  • Lethality Shared Damage Tree
• Hybrid
  • Operative Combining Medic & Concealment Tree
  • Operative Combining Medic & Lethality Tree
• Complimentary Companions
• Kaliyo D’Jannis
  +Range Tank (Male Romance)
• Vector Hyllus
  • Melee DPS (Female Romance)
• Dr. Lokin
  • Healer/DPS (Transforms Into Rakghoul)
• Ensign Raina Temple
  • Range DPS (Male Romance)
• Scorpio
• Melee Tank (Psychotic Droid)
• Storyline Overview
  • You are an Agent fresh out of training, using guile and deception to forward the Imperial Agenda… Just remember, as an Imperial Agent, Conscience is optional
• Equipment / Stats Overview
  • Cunning, Cunning and more Cunning
  • Agents of any Advanced Class or Spec will want to focus on: Critical Rating, Surge Rating, & Alacrity.
• Iconic Moves
  • Snipe
  • Vibro Knife Stabbyness
  • Orbital Strike
  • Explosive Probe
  • Cover Mechanic

Republic Trooper

• Fitting into the MMO Trinity
  • Tank – Vanguard Class
  • DPS – Either Advanced Class
  • Healer – Commando Advanced Class
• Advanced Class Variants
• Vanguard
  • Tank Shield Specialist Tree
  • DPS Tactics or Assault Specialist Tree
• Commando
  • Healer Combat Medic Tree
  • DPS Gunnery or Assault Specialist Tree
• Hybrid
  • Commando Combining Combat Medic & Gunnery Tree
  • Vanguard Combining Shield Specialist & Assault Specialist Tree
• Complimentary Companions
• Special Note All Trooper Companions use Heavy Armour and Aim/End as their primary stats which is great for hand me down gear.
• Aric Jorgan
  • Range DPS (Cathar, Female Romance)
• Elara Dorne
  • Healer (Imperial Defector, Male Romance)
• M1–4X
  • Range Tank (Prototype Battle Droid)
• Tanno Vik
  • Melee Tank (The Loose Cannon Soldier)
• Yuun
  • Melee DPS (The Philosophical Soldier)
• Storyline Overview
  • You are a Republic Trooper from Special Forces Division, joining the most elite unit in the Republic Military, “Havoc Squad”
    +You take on the missions that no one else can.
• Equipment / Stats Overview
  • Aim for Commando’s and DPS Vanguards along with Power, Crit, Surge, & Alacrity
  • Endurance for Tanking Vanguards, along with Defense, Shield, & Absorption Ratings.
• Iconic Moves
  • Full Auto
  • Sticky Grenade
  • Mortar Volley

Star Wars: The Old Republic not losing subscribers, says dev

• Speaking to GameSpot in a recent article, BioWare’s Daniel Erickson claims subscriber numbers have not dipped, but concurrent users during peak playtimes have.
• He says that this is why players may have experienced “light” server populations and that BioWare is considering merging servers in response the lessened concurrent user population, but this action is not a priority.

Georg Zoeller explains the PvP changes in 1.2

• The formula for Expertise (a stat found only on PvP gear) has been changed so that is more important in PvP than any other stat bonus. Because of this even the base Recruit gear is better than Columi gear for PvP. He goes on to say that since burst damage is “slightly higher than we are targeting” more changes will likely be coming.
• Source

TV Campaign / Expansion into New European and Middle Eastern Countries

• Bioware is now expanding into Europe and the Middle East, for a full list of countries
• There are also new commercials coming out for The Legacy, Jedi, and Sith

Action being taken against exploits and cheats

With Game Update 1.2, new measures were put in place to improve our detection of exploits, particularly in relation to ‘speed hacking’ and teleport cheats. With the help of this improved detection, we recently took action against hundreds of game accounts."These speed hacks and teleport cheats were something that I saw people QQing about in the PvP zones.
+ Source

James Ohlen, SWTOR Game Director, on In-game-events

• “The Rakghoul Plague was a very popular event. You’re going to see more surprises like it in the future. I want to hear your thoughts on why you thought the Rakghoul plague was fun. Also, what kind of stuff would you like to see in the future?” Source
• Erickson said that the events may be one-off events in a recent PCGamer article
  • “Events are, by their very nature, transient things that build a sense of history within the game”
  • “Later you’ll pull out your red rakling pet and say, ‘remember when the rakghoul plague hit.’”
  • James Ohlen @JamesOhlen

EA Stock Soars With Nexon Buyout Rumors

Free-to-play developer/publisher Nexon could be looking to buy Electronic Arts. According to Bloomberg, which picked up on the news from a Korean newspaper, Nexon “has contacted EA about making an offer.” No word on whether this would see EA absorbed or merged.
EA’s shares are, as of press time, up almost six percent following the alleged approach, which is the highest they’ve been in six weeks. Source

• Mr. Mars Base “The idea of Nexon buying out EA is a little preposterous given the amount of cash Nexon would have to come up with, if anything a merger is more likely… Furthermore there is a possibility that the US government might not allow a merge due to monopoly laws.”

Math Segment – Rested XP

• Intended to provide casual players with a boost to XP gain that would help them to make up for not being able to spend more time playing the game.
• By leaving your character in a rest zone (cantina / fleet / personal ship) when you log off you will receive the XP boost which can be seen as your XP bar becoming green.
• The longer you remain in a rested area, the greater the XP boost you receive.
• The boost provides double XP for the amount of “rested XP” you have saved up.
• You can get up to a maximum of 100% of the XP cost of your current level.
  • You gain this at a rate of 14.3% of your current level total per day.
  • Level 24 requires 126,595 XP to attain.
  • Leaving a level 24 character in a rest zone for 1 week would gain 126,595 rested xp meaning that the character would get double xp for the next 126,595 xp gained.
• Once the rested xp boost is consumed, the xp returns to normal colouring.

Community Q&A: April 27th, 2012

• Events
• Expect different formats to future events to avoid becoming predictable
• Event sizes will vary from server wide, highly publicised events to stealthy additions
• Overall, the Rakghoul event is considered to have been a great success

• Dual Spec
• Intended as being within your advanced class
• Example: Sith Warrior cannot swap between Juggernaut and Marauder but could swap between the 3 available skills trees within each advanced class
• Tentatively scheduled for path 1.4

• Datacrons & Legacy System
• Currently need to be collected on every character to gain the benefits
• Proposal to have them benefit across all characters in a Legacy is being considered

• Crafting Math
• Baseline crit chance is derived from your current crew skill level compared to item difficulty
• Orange difficulty means 10% crit chance / Yellow,Green, Grey means 15% crit chance
• Companions with bonuses specified as +1 or +5 mean + 1% and +5% respectively
• Affection level is crucial here too as using a companion with +2 bonus on a green level crafting mission with maximum affection means a 22% bonus [15+2+5]
• This means that every 2,000 affection points grants a 1% bonus

• Social Gear
• At present, armours from social vendors are locked as light / medium / heavy
• In patch 1.3, these armours will adapt to the armour proficiency for your class
• Example – Imperial Trooper Helmet when purchased by an Inquisitor is a Light Armour item but when purchased by a Warrior it becomes a Heavy Armour item

• Commendation Mods While Levelling
• Not intended to be optimal for your class while levelling
• Designed to encourage you to seek out a crafter for custom orders

• Unify Colour For Companions
• Not currently scheduled but being planned for future inclusion
• Will likely include the option to hide the head slot also

• Loot Drop Bias For End Game Flashpoints
• All loot tables are biased towards dropping items for classes present in the group
• Levelling Flashpoints are also subject to this loot bias
• End Game Flashpoints have not been using this loot bias thus far
• This is intended to “almost” guarantee a high level drop that will be useful to one of the classes in the group during that specific end game flashpoint

• Character Transfer /Low Population Servers
• Rolling out early this summer
• At first there will be free transfers from/to specific servers, to allow players to move onto higher population servers
• Later, promotional transfers and paid services will be available

• RE’ing Armour Set Bonuses
• Items with set bonuses can have those extracted and moved to an equivalent “orange” item
• Only applies to the armoring modification in affected items
• This only works with new armours added to the game with 1.2 and anything added later
• Older items cannot be handled in this way because the set bonus is attached to the “shell item” rather than the armoring modification

• Patch 1.3
• Group finding system
• Next stage of the Legacy system (already advertised in game from the Legacy menu)

Next Episode Teaser

• *Next week on TORked: *

  • We visit with the Guardians of peace and justice in The Old Republic – the Jedi Knight & the Jedi Consular to learn how they intend to keep the Sith Empire from dominating the galaxy.

  • We’ll have a new Math segment with Nikki – “The Hard-Mode Flashpoint & Operation Preparation Guide” where she will share the secrets of forging your level 50 into a viable, hard-mode Flashpoint, & Operation ready machine! AWWWWW YEAH!

May the Force Be With You!

Intro

• Patch 1.2 brought some end game content with it in the form of daily missions on Corellia which give you access to some of the most advanced gear in the game. We’ll be taking a long hard look into those missions and the rewards for them.
• The Rakghoul plague is still ravaging the outer rim worlds, have you joined the containment effort and been rewarded for your assistance? We’ll be checking on the status of the clean up operation.
• And we’ll do a Kessel Run around all the other news in the SWTOR galaxy. come join us!

Corellian Dailies New in Patch 1.2

• Corellia Rising (Republic)

• Wrapper at News Holo Terminal & Agent Carhart SIS / Contact is Sal Dakron

• The Fall of Corellia (Imperial)

• Wrapper NPC is Sergeant Karloss / Contact in General Konya

• Summary

• Both Imperial and Republic sets have 4 daily missions, 1 area mission and 1 Heroic 4 Mission, all of which yield Daily Commendations.

• There is also a Weekly that completes once all 6 missions are complete which gives the Black Hole Commendations.

• Imperial Heroic has a a puzzle (rearranging pipes) after the last boss fight.

• Black Hole Gear Can be purchased with the Black Hole Commendations

• Black Hole gear has the highest level stats, and mods are level 61(gives Rakata Raid gear a run for its money)

• It will take a substantial amount of time to get a full set of Black Hole Gear

Some info on the Corellia Dalies: https://tor.zam.com/wiki/Corellia_%28TOR_Quest_Series%29

Rakghoul Plague Outbreak Will Be Contained Soon

• “Attention citizens: We are happy to announce that we are starting to make progress in the neutralization of the Rakghoul Plague Outbreak. It is our hope that the outbreak will be completely contained by April 24th at 2AM CDT (12AM PDT/3AM EDT/8AM BST/9AM CEST/5PM AEST). Citizens have until this time to completely avoid Tatooine and to not engage in investigations of suspicious wreckage on its surface.” Joveth Gonzalez | Associate Online Community Manager
• Dailies Added
• [DAILY] Newly Infected was added April 19
• [DAILY] Pure Virus Sample was added April 18
• [DAILY] Hybrid Strain was added on April 17
• [DAILY] Passenger List was added April 16
• Coverage
• World Event: Rakghoul Pandemic Guide | darthhater.com
• Rakghoul World Event | almarsguides.com/
• Hyperspace Beacon: Outbreak
• Rakghouls Invade Tatooine in SWTOR World Event
• Rakghoul Plague Outbreak to be Contained by April 24th
• Rakghoul Plague Outbreak containment
• Star Wars: The Old Republic hosting a weekend trial while plague expands

Green rakghoul color crystal vs the Green Razor color crystal

• “The two color crystals being discussed are separate items and are subtly different in color … For those who really want detail, I checked the RGB values of both crystals while in use. The ‘SE Black Green Color Crystal’ has RGB values of 217/255/9 at my sample point. The ‘Advanced Black Green Hawkeye Crystal’ has RGB values of 188/255/17 at my sample point (as close as I could to the previous sample point).” StephenReid

Character Transfers To Asian and Australian Servers Now Available

• On February 28th, Bioware launched their Asian-Pacific servers.
• Now players will have the option to transfer their characters, for free, to a locally-hosted server
• To Qualify
• players in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Singapore
• purchased the game
• redeem a Game Product Registration Code
• have or have had entered valid billing information or a Pre-Paid Game Time Card
• Only characters created before Tuesday, February 28, 2012 will qualify for transfers
• Once you Qualify
• If you qualify, you can request character transfers to an Asia Pacific server by filling out and submitting the information on the Asia Pacific Transfers page
• Once your character has been transferred to your new Asia Pacific server, an email will be sent to the address tied to your Star Wars: The Old Republic account informing you that your request has been processed
• Character transfers will begin processing on April 24, 2012
• Asia Pacific Launch FAQ

New Website Design

• “We’ve completely rebuilt the website from the ground-up, with the intention of providing you with the latest game updates in an easy to navigate way.” Courtney Woods Assistant Community Production Coordinator
• https://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=418194

Social X Items Temporarily Removed From The Game

• Hi everyone, we had recently discovered an issue that allowed these items to be used in ways detrimental to other player’s gameplay and have taken the temporary step of removing them from availability. We are in process of determining further steps and will likely alter their functionality before putting them back in or replace them with a different but still cool reward. In the meantime, their value has been changed so that they can be sold back to the vendor at no loss. We apologize for any confusion." David White | Systems Designer
• Basics
• Party Instigator, and Party bomb
• Other rewards are in the works or they will come back after alteration
• Cost 100k credits that can now be fully refunded from a vendor
• *Supposed response to a bug ticket *
• “We apologized if the Party Bomb and Party Instigator was removed, since 1.2 patch had just recently started. Our Developers might have something on their sleeves in the future that will make the Social level be useful again and bring back the fun in the game. ”

Next Episode Teaser

• Join us next week for “Spectre of the Gun” where we delve into the Imperial Agent and Republic Trooper classes and watch the carnage they can cause!

The post Corellia Dailies | TORked 5 first appeared on Jupiter Broadcasting.

https://original.jupiterbroadcasting.net/18571/tank-heal-or-damage-torked-2/ Wed, 04 Apr 2012 14:12:25 +0000 https://original.jupiterbroadcasting.net/?p=18571 How the holy trinity of MMO gameplay applies to SW:TOR, crafting and crew skills are getting an update and, we’ll run through the important bits!

The post Tank, Heal or Damage | TORked 2 first appeared on Jupiter Broadcasting.

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Crafting and crew skills are getting an update, we’ll run through the important bits, we share new flash point details, and give you are tips for rocking the key binds!

All that and more, in this week’s episode of TORked!

Direct Download:

HD Download | Large Download | Mobile Download | MP3 Download | Ogg Download | YouTube

RSS Feeds:

HD Feed | Mobile Feed | MP3 Feed | iTunes Feeds

Support the Show:

Purchase anything at Amazon.com Purchase anything at Think Geek using this link Purchase anything at Newegg using this link Contribute directly on our donation page or check out our advertising options and reach millions of amazing people!

Show Notes:

> News

• Bioware Podcast –
• Crafting & Crew Skills Update
• Community Q&A –
• In Game Events –
• Patch 1.3 Teases –

> Main Content

• 1.2 Patch Notes Continued
• Class Updates – Brief Overview
• New Flashpoint / Operation / Dailies / Warzone
• Guild Bank & New Armour sets
• Further additions slated for Patch 1.3
• The MMO Holy Trinity
• Tank – Leading the charge in battle, Holds Aggro of the enemy(s)
• Healer – Support Role repairing damage taken from enemy fire
• Damage Dealer (DPS) – Kick the everloving shit out of the enemy
• The “perfect” team – balance of all 3 (including differences of advanced classes)
• SWTOR Advanced Class Combinations
• PvE Group Composition Example (flashpoint) 1 Tank, 1 Healer, 2 DPS,
• Strong Group Composition Example (operation / raid) 2 Tank, 2 Healer, 3 DPS, 1 Hybrid (Someone who can DPS or Heal)
• Class Diversity in SWTOR –
• Tips & Tricks
• Key binds
• Focus targeting

> Ep3 Teaser

• 1.2 patch notes part 3 – SO many changes and updates to investigate
• Test server feedback from our team as they continue to explore
• The “Power Of The Sith” – we delve into the dark side to see just why the Sith Warrior and Sith Inquisitor classes are so popular. It might be a “shocking” experience so be prepared.

Community Feedback

1. Community Question – What are your ideas to bring the other Crew Skills up to par with the earning power of slicing?

The post Tank, Heal or Damage | TORked 2 first appeared on Jupiter Broadcasting.

]]> https://original.jupiterbroadcasting.net/18362/lightsabers-legacies-torked-1/ Wed, 28 Mar 2012 17:14:11 +0000 https://original.jupiterbroadcasting.net/?p=18362 The massive 1.2 Patch is very near and we share what we’re looking forward to, plus we have companion complaints, and what expect to see in the legacy system.

The post Lightsabers & Legacies | TORked 1 first appeared on Jupiter Broadcasting.

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The massive 1.2 Patch is very near and we share what we’re looking forward to, plus we have companion complaints, and the great things you can expect to see in the legacy system.

All that and more on this week’s episode of TORked!

Direct Download:

HD Download | Large Download | Mobile Download | MP3 Download | Ogg Download | YouTube

RSS Feeds:

HD Feed | Mobile Feed | MP3 Feed | iTunes Feeds

Support the Show:

Purchase anything at Amazon.com Purchase anything at Think Geek using this link Purchase anything at Newegg using this link Contribute directly on our donation page or check out our advertising options and reach millions of amazing people!

Show Notes:

> News

• 1.2 patch notes
• Guild Summit
• Weekend Passes
• SWTOR – largest entertainment project ever

> Main Content

• Legacy System Features
• Family Tree – set up relationships including non-familial ones e.g. rivals
• Race Unlocks
• Specific account bound “legacy” items & emailing them to alts
• Cross class powers due to genetic heritage
• Further additions slated for Patch 1.3
• Mention of poor romance options
• Lack of flirting options for female characters
• Why are female Sith Warriors not getting more action (Pathetic Men)?
• Poor selection of male companions (exception Andronikos Revel)
• Expected possibility of same gender romances in future

> Community Feedback

1. What topics do you want covered? Email us or leave a comment!

> Next Week

• 1.2 patch notes part 2 – SO many changes and updates to investigate
• Test server feedback from our team as they continue to explore
• MMO “holy trinity” of Tank-Healer-Damage Dealer and how it works in SWTOR

The post Lightsabers & Legacies | TORked 1 first appeared on Jupiter Broadcasting.

]]> https://original.jupiterbroadcasting.net/18052/new-show-part-1-in-depth-look/ Fri, 16 Mar 2012 17:07:48 +0000 https://original.jupiterbroadcasting.net/?p=18052 We have a new show: TORked! A new podcast covering Star Wars The Old Republic from multiple perspectives. News, tips, tricks and game updates, and much more!

The post New Show! Part 1 | In Depth Look first appeared on Jupiter Broadcasting.

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We have a new show: TORked! A new podcast covering Star Wars The Old Republic from multiple perspectives. The show will provide the latest news, tips, tricks and game updates. Casual and hardcore players alike will find this show helpful as they deal with the potentially disorienting galaxy of SWTOR.

Direct Download:

HD Download | Mobile Download | MP3 Download | Ogg Download | YouTube

RSS Feeds:

HD Feed | Mobile Feed | MP3 Feed | Ogg Feed | iTunes HD Feed

Support the Show:

Purchase anything at Amazon.com Purchase anything at Think Geek using this link Purchase anything at Newegg using this link Contribute directly on our donation page or check out our advertising options and reach millions of amazing people! Grab our Chrome Extension and auto-tag your shopping session for us!

Show Notes

TORked Feeds

• HD TORked Feed
• TORked Mobile
• TORked MP3

Friends Play Free

SWTOR Friends Trial and Free Weekend Pass Players

BIG Patch coming up.

A lot being added, going to be a big topic for TORked! Watch the patch trailer

Books:

1. Star Wars: The Old Republic: Fatal Alliance
2. Star Wars: The Old Republic: Deceived
3. Star Wars: The Old Republic: Revan

Time Card

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Game

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The post New Show! Part 1 | In Depth Look first appeared on Jupiter Broadcasting.

]]> https://original.jupiterbroadcasting.net/15306/a-trekkie-reviews-swtor/ Fri, 30 Dec 2011 15:29:48 +0000 https://original.jupiterbroadcasting.net/?p=15306 I'll share my insights on the game I expected to hate, but have ended being completely consumed by! Plus my thoughts on this games long term postion.

The post A Trekkie Reviews SWTOR | In Depth Look first appeared on Jupiter Broadcasting.

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I\’ll share my insights on the game I expected to hate, but have ended being completely consumed by! Plus my thoughts on this games long term position.

On this episode of, an In Depth Look!

Direct Download:

HD Download | Mobile Download | WebM Download | MP3 Download | Ogg Download | YouTube

RSS Feeds:

HD Feed | Mobile Feed | MP3 Feed | Ogg Feed | iTunes HD Feed

Support Jupiter Broadcasting with your Purchase:

[asa default]B001CWXAP2[/asa]
[asa default]B005B8DRVU[/asa]
[asa default]B0067G55XS[/asa]

-Notes-

Links:

• The Old Republic players have already logged 60 million in-game hours
• What about bug fixes? A: \”We can do both\”
• SWTOR Subreddit
• I\’m Stephen Reid, Senior Community Manager for Star Wars: The Old Republic. Ask me anything.
• My first week with Star Wars: The Old Republic – Examiner.com

Previous SWTOR Shows:

• SWTOR Backlash | MMOrgue Episode 11
• GW2 and SWTOR Analysis | MMOrgue Episode 1

The post A Trekkie Reviews SWTOR | In Depth Look first appeared on Jupiter Broadcasting.

]]> https://original.jupiterbroadcasting.net/12182/secret-world-mmorgue-16/ Sat, 17 Sep 2011 13:35:51 +0000 https://original.jupiterbroadcasting.net/?p=12182 We’re going to take a first look at Funcom’s upcoming Horror/Conspiracy MMO, The Secret World, including several innovative features and game mechanics!

The post Secret World | MMOrgue 16 first appeared on Jupiter Broadcasting.

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In today’s episode, we’re going to take a first look at Funcom’s upcoming Horror/Conspiracy MMO, The Secret World. Despite not having the hands-on demo they hoped to have available at PAX, they still dropped a boatload of information onto awaiting fans, including several innovative features and game mechanics that make this game worthy of attention.

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:

In addition to that, we’ll cover some recent news from DC Universe, as well as updates on the F2P conversions of City of Heroes and Fallen Earth.

Before that however, I’d like to share some potentially upsetting news about the immediate future of SWTOR:

SWTOR – Release Delay Imminent?

Beta Weekends Cancelled: LINK
Official Statement
Release Date Might Slip

Anyone following the beta news closely may have already heard that Bioware recently chose to cancel a couple of their beta test weekends, after the first round of them went in a few unexpected directions. They’ve spun this as being in the best interest of potential players and testers – and honestly, I believe that assessment to be true – but it’s still another potential red flag that Bioware may not be completely ready to be in charge of a top-shelf MMORPG such as this. I hope they DO take their time with this beta process, and work out all the kinks prior to launch. But at the same time, too many hiccups similar to this one may begin to erode consumer confidence in the eventual launch of the title.

And, as if this beta cancellation wasn’t enough bad news for the game’s supporters, it recently slipped out during an internal conference call that EA already has contingency plans in place just in case the launch of TOR may slip from Q4 of 2011 to Q1 of 2012. Could a launch delay be imminent? I can trust that’d be in the game’s best interest if so, but I’m hoping that it’s smooth sailing for this title from here on out, simply due to the amount of attention the title is receiving in both MMO communities, and gaming communities in general. As I mentioned a few episodes back, this game has enough hype behind it that any potential missteps by Bioware through this process have the potential to further reinforce the poor reputation that MMOs have for launching in a buggy, unplayable manner. Please Bioware… get your act together, for all our sakes!

Secret World

PAX Info from Funcom

Based on the gameplay footage I’ve seen of this game so far, I’ll admit that I’m not all that impressed with the game as a whole. My primary complaint being that this is supposed to be a SECRET world of conspiracy and intrigue, and everything we’ve seen so far shows hordes of magic-wielding superheros doing combat with monstrous zombies and cthulu-esque creatures that stand 2–4 stories tall. Not so secret looking, if you ask me.

Then there’s the development process itself, which has been suffering from repeated delays and mixed messages. Despite already having publicized a launch date of March 24th, the game is not even in Closed Beta yet. This, to me, feels like jumping the gun in a very big way, despite that launch date being more than 6 months from now.

But, my personal gripes with a few of the game’s details do not diminish the innovations that are taking place in regards to a few specific mechanics within the game. Some of them are inventive enough that I’ve decided to take the time to showcase them in a brief preview.

• Environmental Interactions
  • Ambient critters will react to environmental stimulii. The examples we’ve so far seen are car alarms getting zombies’ attention (and spawning extra baddies), and light sources attracting the attention of baddies in the dark.
  • This added layer of complexity assists in keeping the game in the Real World.
  • This light source mechanic can also be utilized in PvP, where some maps will be too dark to see clearly in, but using a light source will attract the attention of enemy players. Meaning you have to choose between being seen, and being able to see.
• PvP outfits
  • When entering a PvP match, players will have their appearance automatically altered to match their “role” based on the powers they have chosen. Healers will end up looking like healers, stealthy melee types will look like thiefs, etc.
  • While this diminishes the players’ ability to show off their custom avatar in PvP, it also makes it easier to be able to pick targets in a match. So your allies will know who to protect and synergize skills with, while the enemy will know who to focus their attacks on.
• 3-faction gameplay
  • This is something that Funcom is not talking much about, but that I feel the need to draw attention to.
  • The only prior game that I know of with a 3-faction PvP gameplay mechanic, was Dark Age of Camelot, which is still considered by many one of the best PvP experiences that has ever been available online.
  • The strength of 3-faction PvP comes in the form of a socially-driven balance. It is exceedingly difficult for any single faction to gain dominance over the remaining two at any point, because which ever faction gains such a strong foothold will inevitably be targeted by the other two.
• Skill System, No Respecs
  • Over 500 unique skills (not just improved ranks of other stuff, but unique effects)
  • You earn more and unlock them as you adventure, but start with a full suite of abilities.
  • Much like Guild Wars, you can freely respec at any time. Swapping out a full set of 7 actives and 7 passives, for any other skills you have so far learned.
  • Funcom claims that the difficulty of this game is based on players’ skill, and not the abilities in the game scaling up. That even “starter” abilities are viable later in a players’ life, and will scale up based on your equipment, and not any set of stats or level.
• ARG – Investigation Missions
  • Scattered throughout TSW will be missions that inspire the player to investigate strange leads OUTSIDE OF THE GAME.
  • This is perhaps the most importantly unique aspect of TSW, as it allows players to feel like a real part of their world, rather than playing in some fantasy realm. It adds an extra level of instinctual immersion when visiting iconic cities like NYC and London, when you are also asked to research the history and myth of these locations in a real-world scenario.
  • One example given, is a locked crate in the wreckage of a shipping barge. Using the internet, you can look up the ship’s manifest online and cross-reference the crate number printed on the side of the shipping container in-game. Following these clues will lead you to the access codes to the crate.
  • Some are FAR more complicated than this, requiring players to actually research occult references in general, drawing the player further into the game’s mythos.
  • The downside here is that, unless Funcom is able to author a full suite of these missions anew every few months, players will quickly solve them all and post the solutions online for anyone to find without having to follow the clues.

• There will also be events that take advantage of this mechanic, and are cross-faction competitive. Whichever of the 3 factions solve it first, gets a boost of some sort as a reward that affects the entire faction.

Subscription Model
Monthly Subs + Cash Shop
We’re TOLD it will be “cosmetics and conveniences only” … but we’ve been told the same thing in other games, and it never quite works out that way. So, time will tell if they can stick to their guns on this.
Really, though, this is GOING to upset players. Subscribers are left asking why, exactly, it is that their monthly subscription fee doesn’t get them the entirety of all this game has to offer, when it does in other competitor MMOs. Why should they be asked to pay extra to have a specific look?
To quench those fears, Funcom needs to make these same cosmetic items available in-game in some manner. In fact, offering a way for players to acquire those items in-game may even drive additional cash shop sales of those same items. I know it seems backwards, but MMO players are generally more likely to buy the CONVENIENCE of being able to bypass a time investment, than they are to simply buy an item that they cannot otherwise obtain.

Fight for the Light – FREE!

https://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/06/dcuos-fight-for-the-light-pack-available-today/

Many of you may recall that I covered SOE’s big PR blunder a few weeks back, regarding their decision to charge subscribers for the “Fight for the Light” mini-expansion to DCUO. I was not alone in my outrage over this decision, especially considering their prior promises that future content would be delivered free of charge.

Well, I have a bit of good news for anyone still following this subject… SOE has mended their ways, and decided to offer the Fight for the Light expansion free of charge to all subscribers.

In my opinion… this is too little, too late.

The damage to their reputation over this violation of trust has already been done. I don’t foresee them digging themselves out of this particular blunder simply by going back on a bad decision. The decision was still made, and they took too long to recognize their mistake. It’s nice of them to have eventually come around, but I believe the damage has already been done.

Additionally, with their competitors in the Superhero MMO genre both now offering their game under a F2P subscription model, I don’t foresee a bright future for DCUO. Which is a shame. I had high hopes for this title for many reasons, not the least of which its action-oriented combat which I’d like to see more frequently in the MMO arena. It would be a real waste to see an innovative set of mechanics like this be buried by poor management decisions on behalf of SOE.

Free-To-Play Conversion Updates

Fallen Earth – F2P launching Oct 12th
Link directly to matrix of subscription levels

Before I sign off for this week, I’d like to do a quick update regarding the impending F2P conversion of City of Heroes and Fallen Earth.

First off, we now have an official launch date and subscription matrix available for Fallen Earth, which will undergo its F2P conversion on October 12th.

Based on my review of the matrix, it looks like they’re doing a good job of incentivizing the subscription options available. Even the cheap-o $10/mo one looks nice. But the $30/mo subscription looks to have very little benefit for players going into the game alone, as its primary benefit is in the form of an aura that bestows “premium” boosts similar to a $15/mo sub, on anyone grouped with the $30/mo player. I could see that being handy, but the value is questionable in my opinion.

It’s nice to see the trend of offering stipends to subscribers is continuing, however.

City of Heroes – VIP access starts this week!

And City of Heroes undergoes a launch to existing subscribers on Sept 13th… in fact, by the time you’re seeing this episode, VIP members (those with active subscriptions) will already begin playing the game with the new set of features.

They still haven’t announced a solid launch date for when Freebies will be able to join the rank and file of Paragon City’s superheroes and villains. I’m taking that indication to mean that this is a sort of beta period rather than a head start. So subscribers get to be the guinea pigs before the unwashed masses are let back in. Now that’s what I call a subscriber benefit!

Wait… what?

Next Week:

Age of Conan – Unchained

The post Secret World | MMOrgue 16 first appeared on Jupiter Broadcasting.

]]> https://original.jupiterbroadcasting.net/11522/gamescom-2011-mmorgue-14/ Fri, 26 Aug 2011 20:52:02 +0000 https://original.jupiterbroadcasting.net/?p=11522 This week focuses on the biggest MMO stories that filtered out of GamesCom 2011. We start with the most impressive showing, which came from Guild Wars 2!

The post GamesCom 2011 | MMOrgue 14 first appeared on Jupiter Broadcasting.

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This week’s episode focuses on the biggest MMO stories that filtered out of GamesCom 2011.

The most impressive showing came from Guild Wars 2, which featured new playable demos showing off their dynamic event system, character customization, new playable races and classes, crafting, and PvP battlegrounds.

Besides GW2 however, also came Star Wars: The Old Republic, showing off a brand new twist on PvP battlegrounds, in the form of a bloodsport called Huttball.

Before we review either of those exciting new features however, we pull the lid off NCSoft and Carbine Studios’ newly announced MMORPG – Wildstar. We’ll tell you why this one is worth keeping an eye on, and why Carbine has a big job ahead of them to compete in the modern MMO market.

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:

Welcome back to the MMOrgue!

Where we take gaming to the next… LEVEL… see what I did there?

/T-Shirt:/ “Pwn Depot”
Available at
Glitch Gaming Apparel

Last week’s Best of MMO Music episode has been receiving some great responses so far. If you haven’t had a chance to check it out, I like to think it’s worth a watch. Also be sure to check that episode’s show notes for so much more music!

GamesCom hit the industry like a massive tidal wave of awesome this past week. The convention itself saw record attendance of more than 275,000 gamers, and even exceeded the location’s maximum safety capacity at least once, causing the main entrances to be temporarily closed off. Rest assured that next year’s will be even bigger, but GamesCom organizers are already talking about finding a bigger/better location to hold it.

Now, let’s talk a little bit about the games that were shown off at the convention…

The Old Republic was, obviously, present at GamesCom, although their presence was underwhelming compared to their showing at ComicCon. Their big announcement came in the form of a new PvP gameplay experience known as Huttball, which I’ll spend some time discussing later in today’s episode.

As far as the MMO world is concerned, Guild Wars 2 has walked away as the big “winner” of the floor at this year’s GamesCom. The sheer volume of awesome videos, gameplay, feature walkthrus and other newsy bits that’ve come out of ArenaNet over the past week has been astounding, and I’ll be dedicating an entire segment of today’s show to some of those juicy tidbits.

Today’s topics are by no means going to make up the entirety of all of the incredible MMO news that filtered out of GamesCom over the past several days, but I simply don’t have enough time in this episode to cover everything that was shared with us, or announced. Check our show notes for a extra round-up of other newsworthy links and coverage, including:

• Release details for Secret World, TERA and Age of Empires Online
• More information and visuals from the SyFy/Trion team-up project, Defiance
• A new aerial assault game from the makers of World of Tanks
• Dust 514 microtransaction clarifications
• Torchlight II gameplay footage
• … and a new trailer and game explanation for End of Nations

The reveal that has garnered the most attention from MMO gamers over the past week seems to be WildStar – the new MMORPG from Carbine Studios that was recently teased in the “announcement of an announcement” by NCSoft that I spoke of a few episodes back. Although the game is still very much in its infancy, Carbine already had a complete gameplay experience ready to put into the hands of gamers, and we’ll be digging into some of those details a bit later on.

Wildstar

Carbine Studio’s new MMO offering landed on the scene in a big way, offering not just an announcement and trailer, but actual hands-on demo time for con-goers at GamesCom.
In light of the hype currently built around other upcoming titles like TOR and GW2, this was an absolute necessity in order to get any sort of coverage or attention right out of the gate.

As you may recall, Carbine’s original announcement of this game included the fact that this game is designed to “learn” from players’ choices, and adapt to how they want to play the game. In the demo offered at GamesCom, we began to see the first of what we’re told will be many layers, of just how this works. And it comes down to story.

The game is a blend of sci-fi and fantasy elements, showing off technology and magic living in harmony with one another, while the art style and animations are vaguely reminiscient of Titan AE and classic-era Disney, with touches of modern anime and stylistic flourishes everywhere. Despite being visually appealing, I have to admit that compared to other modern offerings like GW2 and Secret World, it looks dated. Not much better than the graphics offered by World of Warcraft or Forsaken World. That said, graphics aren’t everything, and this game’s devils are in the details.

When first introduced to Wildstar, you have crash-landed on a strange alien world. When creating your character, you get to not only choose your race and class from a selection that includes humans, rock monsters and bunny-people, but you are also asked why it is that you are on the planet to begin with. Were you exploring? Conquering? Studying? Colonizing? These choices will lead the game to offer a different advancement path and plotline, compared to the choices that another player may make, and successive choices are said to further specialize the game content as you continue to progress.

Already, folks are throwing around comparisons to Tabula Rasa, for a few obvious reasons. The most obvious comparison is the blend of tech and magic in the world, but perhaps more telling is that Carbine Studios’ developers are what many in the business would term a “dream team.” As some of you may recall, the same claim was made of the Tabula Rasa team back in the day, and turned out to be one of the major downfalls of that title’s development cycle. Too many “chefs” and not enough “cooks.” Carbine’s staff includes the former lead developer of WoW, the co-founder of Troika Games, and the co-founder of Turbine, as well as several other experienced and respected names in MMO gaming. This SOUNDS like it’s a very good thing for a game, but remember that Tabula Rasa (which was also under the direction of NCSoft, same as this title) ended up having to be redesigned from the ground-up several years into the development cycle because of creative disagreements among high-profile “rockstar” developers. Let’s hope that Wildstar doesn’t suffer from the same speed bumps.

I’ll be getting my own hands-on demo of Wildstar at PAX, so look for more to come on this potentially innovative gameplay experience.

Links:

• Formation of Carbine, ca. 2007
• The Big Reveal of WildStar
• Hands-on Demo Impressions
• Races and Classes Revealed
• Gameplay Video without UI

Old Republic: HUTTBALL

I get the impression that The Old Republic has reached critical mass. Over the past month or so, we’ve seen very little announced in the way of new features, and most of the gameplay now available around the web is starting to feel a bit same-ey in terms of visuals. That’s not say I don’t wanna get my grubby little hands all OVER this hot mess, just that there seems to be very little else that Bioware can release that’s going to get me even MORE excited.

At least, that’s how I felt until I saw Huttball.
Introducing… HUTTBALL

So, at it’s core, it’s really just a variant on Capture the Flag, with a little football thrown in the mix for good measure. As well as some acid pits and flaming death traps. All good fun until somebody loses a limb, and then it’s HILARIOUS.

They’ve told us already that the teams will not follow the strict Republic vs. Empire party lines, and if the announcer from the trailer makes it into the game, you can bet there will be as many laughs as frags on the Huttball courts.

The concept of a steady stream of repeatable sports games is much more palatable to me personally, than an endless stream of “battleground” PvP matches, in terms of overall game lore. I mean, how did running a flag back and forth across Warsong Gultch really help the Horde’s war efforts against the Night Elves? At least in Huttball, we’re seeing something that can actually fit into the environment of the game, and make sense to a larger narrative. Even if the sense it makes is that it can be completely ignored and discarded by anyone not wishing to participate.

As with any feature announcement, there’s been a small amount of hubbub raised on TOR’s internal forums about whether or not it suits the game world, and a not-tiny contingent of pro-Jedi gamers have voiced their concern about having their favorite neon-swinging zen masters participate in what amounts to a bloodsport.

To them, I’d like to say first – Maybe the Jedi are simply out to prevent the Sith from gaining a positive public image as sports celebrities? I mean, think of the impact such celebrity status could’ve had for Darth Maul. Commercials, Wheaties boxes, merchandising contracts. These could lead to impressionable minds being swayed to the Dark Side!

Secondly, and more importantly – lighten up a little, guys. It’s a game, and Huttball looks like a ridiculous amount of fun that is likely to get even stalwart non-fans of PvP like myself, involved in the bloody game of bashing in my fellow players’ heads in a whole new way.

Guild Wars 2

Character Customization:

What is currently in the game, I find underwhelming. Compared to other “next-gen” character customization, as seen in APB and Eve, the customization in GW2 is fairly lacking. For the most part, it consists of choosing from presets of existing choices, plus a few tweaks available for individual pieces.

Given the amount of focus that ArenaNet places on art assets and visual impressiveness, what we’ve seen so far of customization is sorely lacking. It doesn’t live up to their established reputation as makers of beautiful games, or makers of innovative games.

We’re quite a ways from launch, though. This could easily improve dramatically between now and then.

Crafting System:

It’s rare in the MMO industry for a crafting system to get me excited, but GW2 has a few unique things going for it that have me looking forward to staring at a crafting UI for hours on end…

2 at a time, but can max them all
Must be a cost for swapping, or no point in limiting to 2
When you swap, you are back at the level you left off at, with all your discoveries intact

Discovery system allows you to learn new recipes through experimentation (or reading them from a wiki online, you lazy gamer you.)
It looks as though discovering a recipe rewards you with more xp than crafting it alone, leading to crafters using this system on a regular basis (even after all recipes are discovered and catalogued on wiki sites).

The look of crafted items will generally be more distinct than the loot that drops in the world.

Skill gains are steady and xp-based, happen regardless of what you’re crafting. No guesswork in leveling up.

• Videos like crazy!
• Crafting Demo
• Guild vs. Guild PvP details?
• More info on GvG

Guild Wars Battle of Kyhlo

• https://www.arena.net/blog/making-the-battle-of-kyhlo
• https://www.arena.net/blog/the-battle-of-khylo-jonathan-sharp-on-pvp

The post GamesCom 2011 | MMOrgue 14 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/10528/hellgate-review-mmorgue-10/ Fri, 22 Jul 2011 23:16:51 +0000 https://original.jupiterbroadcasting.net/?p=10528 Enter the gates of Hell, otherwise known as the slums of London! Join Jeremy for a live review of the first few hours of gameplay for Hellgate:Global

The post Hellgate Review | MMOrgue 10 first appeared on Jupiter Broadcasting.

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Enter the gates of Hell, otherwise known as the slums of London! In today’s episode, join Jeremy for a live review of the first few hours of gameplay for Hellgate:Global, as well as the usual smattering of MMO news and leaks, including hints of Comic-Con announcements from Bioware!

Also included in this episode is a proposal for an audience-participation segment on the topic of The Best of MMO Music. Tune in to hear the details, then join the conversation!

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: https://store.hbo.com/game-of-thrones-stark-t-shirt-black/detail.php?p=298870&v=hbo_best-sellers

It seems we’ve hit a slight lull in big MMO news. Not an outright drought – just a lack of stories that are prompting my usual editorial spiel.

In order to combat this, I have a proposal: an episode dedicated to the best of MMO music

I need YOUR submissions…
* If there is a specific GAME that sticks out in your mind as having an incredible soundtrack.
* If there is a specific SONG that you think is fantastic (EQ2’s Qeynos theme, e.g.)
* If you don’t care for music, I’d like to hear why, or what sort of music you listen to while gaming.

Please include links to samples I can listen to when submitting your responses!

LINKS WORTH TALKING ABOUT:

APB may be charging a box fee for their “F2P” game?
https://www.mmocrunch.com/2011/07/14/free2play-apb-hitting-store-shelves/

GW2 World Tour ‘11:  NCSoft @ GamesCom, ArenaNet @ PAX
https://www.mmocrunch.com/2011/07/18/guild-wars-2-world-tour/

HELLGATE: REVIEW

Getting the game downloaded, installed and patched can be a long, tedious, boring process.
And the patcher is always on top! It cannot be moved beneath other windows!
– It has been recommended to use the uTorrent download, but I went the traditional route.

This game was originally published in 2007 and was already showing its age.
– I’ll let the visuals speak for themselves at this point, and audio listeners may get more value by watching the video version of this particular episode.

I will making frequent comparisons of this game to Diablo II, Torchlight and Borderlands.
– And unfortunately, while this game sits somewhere between those three spiritually and mechanically-speaking, it doesn’t really stack up to any of them individually. And not for any single particular reason, just as a compounding of all the little things. Most of which I hope to show you in this review.

It’s an easy, casual experience. Pick it up, shoot some stuff, grab some loot, walk away. But don’t expect any deep or meaningful experience.

The gameplay is driven by greed and power — kill things to get better gear, so you can kill bigger things to get even better gear. This cycle breaks down at the high end of the game however, where it suddenly becomes necessary to care about the world, in order to care about progressing. Unfortunately, the world as a whole is relatively bland with no real sense of urgency or community.

The sole virtue this game has going for it, is the non-existent barrier for entry. For the cost of nothing but a few hours of your time, you can start enjoying a basic hack-and-slash, shoot-em-up mindless loot grind, and even bring along some friends for the ride.

For my part, I still feel like this game fails as a comparison to Diablo II due to shallow mechanics, and incomplete feeling animations. Add to that the confusion of the crafting system, frustration of inventory management, and the lack of a compelling storyline, and it leaves me thinking that FREE is about as much as I’d honestly pay for this title.

If you want a good loot-whoring shooter, go play Borderlands. It’s worth the box cost, and contains multiplayer. And if you’re willing to try out an older title for your fix, Diablo II has aged surprisingly well, and Torchlight 2 is just around the corner!

Next Week: Comic-Con in review!

• It’s happening at the time this episode is being published, and already there is speculation that several large announcements may be occurring, including:
  The unveiling of Zenimax’s MMORPG (assumed to be based on the Elder Scrolls universe)
• Official details on Blizzard’s “TITAN” project (though I suspect this will happen @ BlizzCon)
• The official release date of SWTOR

Speaking of TOR announcements…
SW:TOR’s box art released (Standard & Collector’s)
https://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/loadNews/21245

The post Hellgate Review | MMOrgue 10 first appeared on Jupiter Broadcasting.

]]> https://original.jupiterbroadcasting.net/10346/eve-meltdown-mmorgue-9/ Sat, 16 Jul 2011 13:53:31 +0000 https://original.jupiterbroadcasting.net/?p=10346 A veteran EVE player joins us t to cover the highs and lows of the launch of the Incarna expansion, and editorialize on what CCP did so very, very wrong.

The post Eve Meltdown | MMOrgue 9 first appeared on Jupiter Broadcasting.

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The ENTIRE WORLD of online gaming erupted in a massive conflagration of hate, bile, controversy and intrigue, and naturally it was EVE Online that was to blame for it all. It seems like any time a major newsworthy meltdown occurs, this sandbox space simulator is the culprit behind the uprising.

On today’s MMOrgue, we’ve brought on a veteran EVE player as a correspondent to cover the highs and lows of the launch of the Incarna expansion, and editorialize on what CCP did so very, very wrong.

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Show Notes:

OPENER:

Today’s T-Shirt: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003LUZQRS/?tag=thelinactsho-20

RIFT discounts…
* $10 on Steam during their summer sale (now $40)
* Subscription discounts
* “Come back” weekend
* … feeling the pressure from other upcoming titles?

HELLGATE REVIEW: Delayed until NEXT WEEK

And now, on to EVE!

List of ignominious CCP quotes:
https://www.eveonline.com/ingameboard.asp?a=topic&threadID=1534552

Leaked pdf: “Greed is Good”
Confirmation of authenticity: https://www.eveonline.com/ingameboard.asp?a=topic&threadID=1536065&page=5#126

Dev Blog response:
https://www.eveonline.com/devblog.asp?a=blog&bid=932

Devs fly CSM players out to Iceland:
https://www.eveonline.com/devblog.asp?a=blog&bid=934
Statements from each side:
https://www.eveonline.com/devblog.asp?a=blog&bid=935

My thoughts:
It seems, to an outsider, that the purpose of the Aurum store was to allow players to circumvent the ISK:PLEX exchange, and shortcut the economy straight from RL money to in-game items.
This, on a certain level, makes sense.
The issues arose from rumors of new Aurum-only items, and the feeling that allowing cash-purchased items devalues the time-based skill investments of long-time players.
TIME is the ultimate currency. In a way, every MMO is just a complicated barter system for your time investment.
With the widespread shift to F2P+CashShop mechanics, will this have a lasting impact, or will it be looked back on as a “silly debate”?

An Aurum-incentivized viral marketing campaign:
https://www.eveonline.com/devblog.asp?a=blog&bid=937

Post-Thoughts

Tease of the Week:
According to Paul Darrow (well-known voice actor) his work on SWTOR will be published by Christmas
https://www.mmocrunch.com/2011/07/13/swtor-coming-out-by-christmas/
Add this to a rumor I’d heard that the SWTOR Razer gaming peripherals will be released in November… it’s looking like a pretty solid launch date for this much-hyped title.
But jeez… that’s still 6 months away! pout

Next week:
Hellgate and MORE!

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The post Eve Meltdown | MMOrgue 9 first appeared on Jupiter Broadcasting.

]]> https://original.jupiterbroadcasting.net/8156/gw2-and-swtor-mmorgue-1/ Sat, 14 May 2011 19:39:23 +0000 https://original.jupiterbroadcasting.net/?p=8156 A few upcoming titles go under the microscope to see if they stand up to scrutiny, and whether or not the hype being generated for GW 2 and SWTOR is warranted!

The post GW2 and SWTOR | MMOrgue 1 first appeared on Jupiter Broadcasting.

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Welcome to The MMOrgue!

In our inaugural episode, your host – Jeremy – will walk through thru the specifics of just what the heck this show is all about, as well as offer some insight as to the future content it will portray.

After that business is out of the way, we’ll be putting a few upcoming titles under the microscope to see if they stand up to scrutiny, and whether or not the hype being generated around Guild Wars 2 and Star Wars: The Old Republic is warranted.

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Show Notes:

What is The MMOrgue?

I am not an industry professional, but I play one on the internet.
– I have been playing and testing MMOs since 1997.
– Since that time, I have participated in over 30 closed and open betas, and subscribed to more than 20 different MMOs.
– Besides just playing the game, I also take an active role in the community whenever possible. Have also worked as a volunteer CSR on three different active MMOs.
– I have been every genre stereotype, from Trollish Griefer, to No-Nonsense Raid Leader, to Friendly Roleplayer, to Casual Part-timer. I have a good understanding of what motivates different portions of the MMO playerbase.
– As a co-host of a successful MMO-focused podcast (STOked), I have gained a significant amount of insight into the development process of MMOs, as well as numerous industry contacts.
Every story covered on this show will have an angle that addresses the industry in its entirity.
* How a certain feature/attitude (from players and/or developers) will impact the future evolution of the industry.
* What a game’s success or failure indicates about the current state of the industry.

* How lessons of the past are being learned from, or ignored.
WILLS and WILL NOTS:
* WILL:
– Focus on innovation and evolution within the MMO market
– Occasionally include developer interviews and commentary, whenever appropriate
– Maintain a focus on how certain game mechanics or developer attitudes impact their communities.
– Contain exclusively editorial content. Although news and announcements will be shared, they are only here to drive the opinions portrayed.
* WILL NOT:
– Cover every feature announcement and press release for every game in development
– Make a habit of dwelling on the minutiae of game mechnics, except where a thorough explanation becomes necessary in order to explain the larger impact of an innovation
– Play favoritism towards any particular developer or sub-genre.

That last point leads me to my next topic…
ArenaNet

I won’t mince words, I’m a HUGE fan. But, you should be, too. Let me tell you why…

Guild Wars 2: Why You Should Care

There is a video floating around the internet, made by ArenaNet. They call it their MMO manifesto, and within this short video they outline a number of reasons that their next product – Guild Wars 2 – is going to revolutionize the way that MMOs are perceived, and played.

RETHINK EVERYTHING: INNOVATION GALORE
“ArenaNet was founded to innovate.” – Mike O’Brien, President
– Awesome.
– But change for change’s sake is dangerous:
* Auto Assault, Fallen Earth, PlanetSide, even EVE to a certain extent.
* While many people want something new, MILLIONS still play only what is recognizable and easy to understand.
— (RIFT’s similarity to WoW has bred success, while still offering something new)
* ArenaNet is being changed in deliberate ways, to drive community interaction and gameplay immersion. Every innovation is being thoroughly examined for impact.

BE THE HERO: A PERSONAL STORYLINE
– From the moment of character creation, you have a personal story.
* WHO you are, not WHAT you are.
* Branching objectives, evolving story.
* Replayability for alts is incredibly high.
— Social aspects of shared knowledge may suffer.
— Lack of uniform player experiences may cause a rift among players that have grown accustomed to being able to share the same game experience with their friends/guildmates. (Look at sites like WoWHead as an example)

EXPERIENCE A LIVING WORLD: DYNAMIC EVENTS (NO QUESTS)
– Completely removed traditional questing, replaced with Dynamic Event Chains
* You will never be asked to kill 10 wolves, or collect 5 rare flowers.
* You will notice something in the distance, get closer and examine the situation, then choose whether or not to be involved.
— With this change, Exploration has become the POINT of the game, and not an extra pass-time or something that just happens along the way.
* Dynamic Events will have branching objectives – won’t always end the same.
* Scaling AI smart enough to adapt to all different types of involvement, not just population levels.

MAKE A FRIEND: SOCIAL INNOVATIONS
– Concept of the “golden triad” of classes has been eliminated.
* Every class can tank, heal, dps, control. Roles switch based on weaponsets and ability choices.- Automatic sidekicking, driven by environment instead of group mechanics
* No high-level griefers in low-level areas.
* No scaling issues with dynamic events.
* Allows high-level characters to seamlessly enjoy low level content if they choose to.
– Social mini-games in non-combat areas.
* Scorekeeping and leaderboards to encourage friendly competition.
– Mobile apps to keep you connected when not in-game.
* THIS IS HUGE, and an absolute NECESSITY for the next generation of MMOs.
WATCH THE ACTION: ACTIVE COMBAT SYSTEM
– Simplified hotbars, 10 buttons max.
– Cooldowns frequently controlled by fatigue system, which also ties to movement.
* Combat is balanced so that spamming a move is possible, but not recommended. If you use your Fatigue too quickly then you can’t move/dodge and will take more damage. Meaning that standing in place and swinging repeatedly is a recipe for failure.

– Heavy emphasis on movement and positioning.
– Power interactions and environmental effects (fire + arrows)
– Line of sight and collision mechanics

POSTSCRIPT: MMORTICIAN’s THOUGHTS
– If they deliver HALF of this HALF as well as they intend to, it will send ripples through the industry as player expectations will shift dramatically.
– The class system is likely going to undergo many, many tweaks during Beta. I find it unlikely that every class can truly tank, heal and DPS as well as every other, and some may shine in certain areas.
* It is the wont of MMO gamers to min/max in every scenario. If one class excels at a certain thing, then that IS THEIR ROLE, regardless of their ability to perform in other areas.
—————–

https://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=188836

The concept of evolving storylines is not unique to Guild Wars 2. In fact, it is a cornerstone of one of the most highly-anticipated MMORPGs of the current world: SW:TOR

IMMERSIVE STORYTELLING: The “Fourth Pillar”
Progression, Exploration, Combat, and STORY
– Every class (16 total, so far) will have their own storyline, complete with branching objectives allowing for your individual choices to drive the content that you will experience.
* Each of these stories is said to be as large and fully-featured as a single game.
* Unlike a singleplayer game, there’s no Save/Reload to allow you to explore alternative choices. Experiencing something other than what you choose will require an alt character, or hearing about it second-hand from another player.
YOU ARE NOT ALONE: Companion Characters
– Companions have factored into every BioWare game. And are also a part of Star Wars (Chewbacca, R2D2, etc).
– Each companion will have their own stories and interests. Players can choose to help, or corrupt them. Companions may even turn on you in some outcomes.
– Companions also act as the crew of your ship, and assist you in crafting items and obtaining resources.

HEAR AND SPEAK: Voice acting
– More lines of voice-acted dialogue than every other BioWare game PUT TOGETHER
– Including YOUR character! Hooray for no more mute leaders.
– This level of voice acting simply cannot happen in any genre other than an MMO. Even in PC Gaming, developers are urged to keep resource usage low, and if they intend to sell a console port then it becomes an absolute NECESSITY to keep resources to a single disc.
* Look at Dragon Age II and the re-use of the same 20 maps over and over. This was done because of voice acting, and limited console resources.

* Since this type of feature can only effectively happen in an MMO, it is my opinion that ALL “Triple-A” class MMOs must strive to include it in the future. It can become a defining characteristic of a genre that frequently lacks a unified identity.
Bioware’s efforts on SWTOR are already catching the eye of prominent players in the MMO industry, including Mike Morhaime – CEO of Blizzard Entertainment. His published point of view is that a successful high budget title under the Star Wars IP can only mean good things for the population level of the MMO industry across-the-board.
While I agree, I doubt he’d be saying the same thing if Bioware was publishing a fantasy RPG that was in direct competition with World of Warcraft.

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The post GW2 and SWTOR | MMOrgue 1 first appeared on Jupiter Broadcasting.

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