*****Official Star Wars: The Old Republic Thread*****

[LateX'Dog]

Found the other videos. Gameplay footage of the sith inquisitor, jedi knight as well as smuggler class.

 

[Nigel014]

That's it, just watched a few gameplay videos and I'm sold. Sign me up for Sith!

 

[ty77]

Three game tester impressions

Its a very bad mmo and a not very good solo game.
Im very afraid for the future of swtor... This game is gonna collapse in 10months. Im not happy but really think that. Pay to play a single game almost as repetitive as a korean game, I dont know how many are ready to this.
Actually the mmo part (im lvl 15) is almost near zero, maps, and maps, and maps, and I got to the quest without reading and I dont see the graphisms because im allways on the map, I run, I run, enemies everywhere, so much ennemies I must kill. No fun, nothing, its allways the same things. There is no challenge, the game is way too easy, I must run and spam to finish all the quests and continue forever : no fun.
All ennemies are the sames. I say ALL. Oh, no, there is one that stunned me on time... sorry.
Please tell me why I cant run without enter in a fight ? This is really boring because the maps are huge. Looting is boring too. I dont loot my ennemies because im tired.

There is no world. If there is no world how could it be a mmo ? I don't know. The corruscant episode is so much pain... im scared of what comes after. I want to finish these maps but there is allways one more and one more and one more... theyre all the same with all the ennemies with all the same quests that are just icons on my maps.
I'm so bored.

This is a game with many good ideas, but It seems that mmo part have nothing to do in it.
It like a Kotor 3 with multiplayer feature.
If you want to do a single game, do a good single game ? There is no point to play swtor if you have mass effect.

Its way too much far away of a mmorpg.

Im gonna wait to see the pveHL because swtor have a good potential, and lvlmax features... If there is still no world, no mmorpg, I think I'll never buy swtor.

I'm not too thrilled either.

- Graphics and animations: yes, a comic style is ok, but I feel there are a lot of options missing to tailor the graphics to suit your computer or your taste (AA anybody?). Some animations seem "wooden" ... the game has been in development for a long time and I'm afraid, the graphics show that ... it does simply not look like a 2011 game.

- UI: most of it ok, functional. But I believe important options are missing or well hidden. For people who enjoy talking in /say (Roleplayers) ... no speech bubbles? THe chat is often not readable well.
Did I miss a function to click / right-click on a player's name in the chat and get some options like "invite", "ignore" or "tell"? For me this was not working? Is it implemented?
Chat window position is not ideal - everybody is probably used to bottom left ... you can drag it, but I did not really get all the chat windows fitting well in the left bottom corner.

- Character creation: First, I really like most of the classes offered and their style. But again character creation looks like from an older game. I can live with the facial options, but male body types for example are lacking in my opinion: one is too muscular for my taste, one too fat and one too skinny. The body type meant to be "normal" is depending on your class choice too muscular or too skinny ... I could not get a male character where I felt I had a "normal" body type.

- Combat: I liked many of the attack abilities and how they were tied together (like this attack is only available if opponent is stunned - but you have an attack that stuns). What I didn't like was that the response to me clicking or pressing the button was slow. And that brings us to

- Performance: I feel the game is far from optimized and there are lags. If the game and the servers cannot handle the number of testers, it will be chaos on release day.
Furthermore, I had often NPCs and even fellow PCs where the head or upperbody was not visible - the textures were completely missing or there was a pinkish glow ... textures seem to load too slowly.

I think this can be a good game but they have a lot of work to do before release. And I doubt they can change a couple of the things I'm not thrilled about (like the dated graphics ... mostly btw. character graphics, I think the landscapes look great).

Launcher:
At this stage somewhat unfortunate because you have to queue in the line just to check IF you are able to play. If something goes wrong you have rejoin the queue again. I would prefer a queue where I am already IN the Client so that I know that errors like "Hey, sorry, the game crashed because you dont have a graphics card installed" won´t occur anymore.

Character creation:
This is really disappointing from my point of view. I mean, lets be honest - a trooper can choose between 4 different races, one is human, one is human with computer thingies, one is human with green skin and one is so uninteresting that I already forgot how they look. This is Star Wars, great strange looking aliens where always the biggest difference to other Sci-Fi Universes. I know it is a lot of work to do models and animations for so many different races, but I really expected more from this game. Also I am not satisfied with the options the game gives me to diverse my character.

Introduction into the Game:
Nice Cinematics - nice beginning, but for new players there will be a big ? what to do. There is definately a need for a tutorial. I think it is just not added yet, just my thoughts. Overall the trooper´s start felt right.

Character Graphics/Animation:
I like them, movement looks all right and fluent.

Environment Graphics:
I like them. Star Wars architecture and style have been very well hit. At some places I just stopped and looked at the scenery, and it was worth it. Great job.

Overall Grpahics:
In my opinion the textures could have more detail and sharpness in them, some environment models could use a few more polygons, especially if some very well looking creatures are standing next to them.

Sound:
What a great soundscape. I took me a while to find out, that those dull explosion sounds are not some files that repeat themselves over and over again (at some point you beginn to notice the pattern), no, they were actually dynamically played by my client if other players on the map fired their grenades and other explosive stuff. So far the sound effects are THE most positive thing about SWTOR. And for me this is extremely important. I am curious about what is to come.

Music:
Star Wars Music - greatly adapted, also very important to me - no worries here.

Interface:
I have read all the sometimes really drastic complaints about the UI. I really can´t see the huge problem with it. All the neccessary Information is visible so far, I can see my buffs, debuffs and so on. The Menus are nothing special, but also nothing exotic. All the MMO-Standards are there. Only thing is the Chat frame, on the other hand, the "standard" places it to the bottom left, but in my experience the chat frame is really lost space for the most time when playing the game. I really dont see the big issues with the current UI Design. Some tweaks need to be made of course.

Quests:
Well. The Quests are really what you expect from a MMO. Kill this and that, find this and that, collect this and that, speak to someone, BUT I am really suprised how much it matters that you collect/progress/finish your quests via dialogue. It will have to be seen if this is just a temporarily diversion or if it motivates permanently. Respawnrates, especially for Quest Related Items in the game world are too low.

Game Mechanics:
The single most important thing for all players and the developer - Game Mechanics. I have played so many MMOs over the years as a tester and sometimes the release versions too. It takes me only a few minutes to realize if a game has good game mechanics or not. This game definately has. You feel in control of your character, all the action feels direct. I did not encounter any lag or other connectivity related errors besides typical problems which are quite normal for a game in this state.


Conclusion:
This game has a very promising potential. Some things already work very good, some things need (minor) changes, some things I didn´t like but are not likely to be changed (Race Selection...) After this first evening I am sure that I will play the game when it is released, not because it is so much better, I will play it because I prefer a Sci Fi setting and SWTOR is the first MMO that does exactly what I like about my current MMO: World Of Warcraft only with Blasters, and Spaceships and Droids!

 

[Tombstone]

Seems to be a lot of disagreement regarding the graphics, got some people saying the graphics are poor/dated, others saying the graphics are acceptable/ok and others saying the graphics are the best graphics in an MMO ever.

 

[LateX'Dog]

Three game tester impressions

Its a very bad mmo and a not very good solo game.
Im very afraid for the future of swtor... This game is gonna collapse in 10months. Im not happy but really think that. Pay to play a single game almost as repetitive as a korean game, I dont know how many are ready to this.

Doesn't give an example behind his reason, just comes out with the negativity from the start. Its already been shown its clearly a MASSIVE MMO from the world previews and hands on.

Actually the mmo part (im lvl 15) is almost near zero, maps, and maps, and maps, and I got to the quest without reading and I dont see the graphisms because im allways on the map, I run, I run, enemies everywhere, so much ennemies I must kill. No fun, nothing, its allways the same things. There is no challenge, the game is way too easy, I must run and spam to finish all the quests and continue forever : no fun.

I have no idea where to start with this, so he is complaining that when he is doing a quests some of the time he always has his map open and other times he can get there without listening to the full quest? And that the quests are always the same?

All ennemies are the sames. I say ALL. Oh, no, there is one that stunned me on time... sorry.

If i remember correctly WoW and Rift had very little mob difference, you could run into the same mob countless times. Even now in WoW mobs are the same, but with some armour or colour thrown on it.

Please tell me why I cant run without enter in a fight ? This is really boring because the maps are huge. Looting is boring too. I dont loot my ennemies because im tired.

Because enemies don't like you......the nature of the aggressive mob. How can looting be boring? But one thing i don't like is they don't have a Rift style AoE loot.

There is no world. If there is no world how could it be a mmo ? I don't know. The corruscant episode is so much pain... im scared of what comes after. I want to finish these maps but there is allways one more and one more and one more... theyre all the same with all the ennemies with all the same quests that are just icons on my maps.
I'm so bored.

So he is complaining here that there is too many quests in zones and he can't complete them all and that the quests are all the same. But this is the nature of mmo's, there is only a few ways to skin a cat.

Overall this guy makes no sense and his comments should be completely disregarded.

 

[LateX'Dog]

Seems to be a lot of disagreement regarding the graphics, got some people saying the graphics are poor/dated, others saying the graphics are acceptable/ok and others saying the graphics are the best graphics in an MMO ever.

Its the art style, some people really appreciate it, but some people want the uncanny valley. You'll get a massive swing of graphical opinion.

 

[ChrisJSY]

Seems to be a lot of disagreement regarding the graphics, got some people saying the graphics are poor/dated, others saying the graphics are acceptable/ok and others saying the graphics are the best graphics in an MMO ever.

Who cares what others think though, you can see for yourself.
However personally I think they are fine, grew up in the 80s and gamed all my life so I'm not picky with graphics at all, in fact never have I cared enough to base a purchase on it or not.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[Tombstone]

Its the art style, some people really appreciate it, but some people want the uncanny valley. You'll get a massive swing of graphical opinion.

Yeah , from what I've seen of it I tend to go with the acceptable/ok group. I dont think they are dated or poor, more just that (as WoW was) its an artistic style, I also dont think I could in all honesty call them the best MMO graphics ever. They have a style and they do that style well, so middle group for me

 

[Tombstone]

Who cares what others think though, you can see for yourself.
However personally I think they are fine, grew up in the 80s and gamed all my life so I'm not picky with graphics at all, in fact never have I cared enough to base a purchase on it or not.

Well I have to kind of care what others think, otherwise I wouldnt read any player reports of the beta at all, as I wouldnt care what any of them thought

 

[Tombstone]

If i remember correctly WoW and Rift had very little mob difference, you could run into the same mob countless times. Even now in WoW mobs are the same, but with some armour or colour thrown on it.

Was even worse in Daoc where it was quite often just outright the same model over and over for 50 levels. Damn spriggans

But one thing i don't like is they don't have a Rift style AoE loot.

Must admit I love that AoE looting too, would like to see more MMOs incorporate that.

So he is complaining here that there is too many quests in zones and he can't complete them all and that the quests are all the same. But this is the nature of mmo's, there is only a few ways to skin a cat.

Except UO of course, which had no quests at all (although to be fair, do that in todays MMO market and the average MMOer would be on the forums saying "waaa, I dont know what I am supposed to do !! QQ" )

 

[ChrisJSY]

Well I have to kind of care what others think, otherwise I wouldnt read any player reports of the beta at all, as I wouldnt care what any of them thought

I was talking about graphics, why do you have to care? Do you lack the ability to make your own opinion on the visual aesthetics of something by just looking at it yourself? Videos, pictures..

I'm not talking about anything else, just graphics.

 

[Tombstone]

I was talking about graphics, why do you have to care? Do you lack the ability to make your own opinion on the visual aesthetics of something by just looking at it yourself? Videos, pictures..

I'm not talking about anything else, just graphics.

I thought this post here...

Yeah , from what I've seen of it I tend to go with the acceptable/ok group. I dont think they are dated or poor, more just that (as WoW was) its an artistic style, I also dont think I could in all honesty call them the best MMO graphics ever. They have a style and they do that style well, so middle group for me

Clearly showed that I obviously have the ability to make up my own opinion on the visual aesthetics of something by just looking at it myself. Maybe not though.

I merely commented that there was quite some variation, ranging from poor to best MMO graphics evar! so far, rather than a consensus of opinion.

 

[ty77]

the poster who dose not seem to like it updated his post

Its a very bad mmo and a not very good solo game with some cool features and good classes.
Im very afraid for the future of swtor... This game is gonna collapse in 6months.... Im not happy but really think that. Pay to play a single game almost as repetitive as a korean game, I dont know how many are ready to this.
Actually the mmo part (im lvl 15) is almost near zero, maps, and maps, and maps, and I got to the quest without reading and I dont see the graphisms because im allways on the map, I run, I run, enemies everywhere, so much ennemies I must kill. No fun, nothing, its allways the same things. There is no challenge, the game is way too easy, I must run and spam to finish all the quests and continue forever : no fun... a 5 year old kid could play.
All ennemies are the sames. I say ALL. Oh, no, there is one that stunned me on time... sorry.
Please tell me why I cant run without enter in a fight ? This is really boring because the maps are huge. Looting is boring too. I dont loot my ennemies anymore because im tired.

There is no world. If there is no world how could it be a mmo ? I don't know. The corruscant episode is so much pain... im scared of what comes after. I want to finish these maps but there is allways one more and one more and one more... theyre all the same with all the ennemies with all the same quests that are just icons on my maps.
I'm so bored.
Exploration ? Forget it, there is nothing to explore, corruscant is like doom.
Open world with nature, lacs, animals ? No no no, nothing. There is only mobs to kill and pnj to take quests.

If feel there is no lives.
Oh you speak about scenario ? Im trooper and its bad. Im the man and I'll find my master who is a traitor.... comon this is allways the same scenario every games :/
Kill every traitors, every rebels, save a children, take documents all around and destroy computers, im the soldier I have no fear nothing no family no feelings... don't call that a scenario, please. Republic and empire ? Starwars ? Im I really playing to star wars ?
The class is good, but the scenario and the quest are making me think to change try the empire.
Music ? huu... sorry but for me its a fail too. Wow musics are far superiors. Maybe because its a beta ? Maybe. Sometimes you hear a starwars theme and... thats all.
I want musics that makes me feel its a world, not a permanent action game. I dont want epic action music every time I aggro one mob, I hate this so much.... I feel like all are the sames. Even cantina have no good music and corruscant feels oppressive.

Jobs ? Collect boxs ? Seriously comon guys It add more things to loot... and Im allready ****ed about looting corpses.
I'm near to finish corruscant and I feel like im in a solo dongeon rpg like diablo or something... corridors leads to other corridors.
And to finish : Battlegrounds. They are all failed. One battleground I dont even understand what to do. We dont understand anything, enemies come from everywhere, no cooldown to death ruins all, who has the ball ? whats happening ? Dunno im lost. Maybe its not balanced ? I think so. If I where blizz I would delete battlgrounds except one (the one you must take 3 canons...).

This is a game with many good ideas, but It seems that mmo part have nothing to do in it.
It like a Kotor 3 with multiplayer feature. If you want to do a single game, do a good single game ? There is no point to play swtor if you have mass effect.
Its way too much far away of a mmorpg. Im gonna wait to see the pveHL because swtor have a good potential, and lvlmax features... If there is still no world, no mmorpg, I think I'll never buy swtor.
You gonna answer : there is no argument, this post is invalid, this post is a troll, etc etc. I dont care, if you cant accept other ideas than yours you have nothing to do in a forum. Im not gonna explain more what I think, Im not gonna argue more, If you like the game im happy for you but I am very worried.


Lvl 1 : omg... I cant play.
lvl 10 : ok, the game is quite good now I'm inside, the flashpoints was EPIC. Nice.
lvl 15 : this post.

I'll gonna try harder !!!! Maybe it will change .... I swear I hope so with all my strenght

 

[LateX'Dog]

I'm not too thrilled either.

- Graphics and animations: yes, a comic style is ok, but I feel there are a lot of options missing to tailor the graphics to suit your computer or your taste (AA anybody?).

The phrase "its beta" springs to mind here, there not going to give you AA options when it has no baring on the testing of the beta.

Some animations seem "wooden" ... the game has been in development for a long time and I'm afraid, the graphics show that ... it does simply not look like a 2011 game.

Wooden!? No idea what they mean here, but a lot of the high quality stuff are always left out of the beta, there is no point it being in there until the very end.

- UI: most of it ok, functional. But I believe important options are missing or well hidden. For people who enjoy talking in /say (Roleplayers) ... no speech bubbles? THe chat is often not readable well.

When they first introduced chat bubbles in WoW, people where in a uproar because they looked horrible. But also they could only chat in the box.

Did I miss a function to click / right-click on a player's name in the chat and get some options like "invite", "ignore" or "tell"? For me this was not working? Is it implemented?

Ok that is a little odd, but there is still time to implement things like that.

Chat window position is not ideal - everybody is probably used to bottom left ... you can drag it, but I did not really get all the chat windows fitting well in the left bottom corner.

Again its beta, they will not have all the options in the game yet, there will most like be a UI scale option, which will provide you with more space for your chat window.

- Character creation: First, I really like most of the classes offered and their style. But again character creation looks like from an older game. I can live with the facial options, but male body types for example are lacking in my opinion: one is too muscular for my taste, one too fat and one too skinny. The body type meant to be "normal" is depending on your class choice too muscular or too skinny ... I could not get a male character where I felt I had a "normal" body type.

Be happy that you have options at all. WoW you dont have a choice, you can only edit a few options.

Someone figured out based upon the current amount of customisable options in the character creator, there is around 19 million different character choices.

- Combat: I liked many of the attack abilities and how they were tied together (like this attack is only available if opponent is stunned - but you have an attack that stuns). What I didn't like was that the response to me clicking or pressing the button was slow. And that brings us to

- Performance: I feel the game is far from optimized and there are lags. If the game and the servers cannot handle the number of testers, it will be chaos on release day.

Furthermore, I had often NPCs and even fellow PCs where the head or upperbody was not visible - the textures were completely missing or there was a pinkish glow ... textures seem to load too slowly.

Nearly all beta clients are running back end programs to monitor players actions, bugs in the code and countless other things. Taking a beta impression on performance is a very flawed way of thinking.

 

[Matteysan]

Yeah , from what I've seen of it I tend to go with the acceptable/ok group. I dont think they are dated or poor, more just that (as WoW was) its an artistic style, I also dont think I could in all honesty call them the best MMO graphics ever. They have a style and they do that style well, so middle group for me

Really too much like WoW it has put me off the game greatly Couldn't stand the art in WoW & this doesn't look much better. WoW in a Star wars theme :/

 

[LateX'Dog]

Really too much like WoW it has put me off the game greatly Couldn't stand the art in WoW & this doesn't look much better. WoW in a Star wars theme :/

I do hope you realise how difficult and time consuming it is to make a crysis graphics style mmo.

If they went with the realistic graphics, this game would take 10-13 years to do.

 

[Sleepery]

Or you could do an Age of Conan, concentrate on the graphics, and just leave out levels 20-80

I don't see the WoW comparision myself, think it looks quite cool.

 

[ChrisJSY]

I do hope you realise how difficult and time consuming it is to make a crysis graphics style mmo.

If they went with the realistic graphics, this game would take 10-13 years to do.

No, it would just make their audience smaller.

 

[Redman]

I keep forgetting to look at the beta leaks site & even the main site when I get home, and they're obviously blocked at work.

Race restrictions on classes were mentioned, I don't suppose there's a list out there to copy/paste here for us stuck-at-work & browsing the internet folks is there?

 

[No1newts]

Still mixed reviews.

Is there a release date yet? Even a rough one?