each class will be able to get a total of 5 companions through out the game. Each companion will be able to do different types of damage or play different roles in a group. Each companion will also give different bonuses to your crew skills.
Star Wars is an expansive universe. You' will be playing the game, you will be fighting the bosses, you know the how -- but do you know the why? Here we make sure you Know Your Lore by covering the history of the story behind Star Wars: the old republic
With more people playing SWTOR beta and game testing now, we are seeing more info coming out about it. While these players are still bound to the NDA, it is to be expected that some general knowledge will come out about the game.
If you will be playing SWTOR with a group of friends, it makes sense to form up your own guild so you can all play together and take advantage of any guild perks and benefits right from the start. Here is how to
Datacrons are part of the codex system in Star Wars The Old Republic. They are placed throughout the worlds for the players to find, usually in hard to reach places. As a reward for this exploration ingenuity, if a player successfully reachs and interacts with certain datacrons, one of the player's character stats will be increased -- permanently. Here is the complete list of Datacrons, rrdered by codex entry #
Now here's a trend that needs to catch on - and quickly. G4 hosted a car wash staffed by cute girls in Star Wars costumes, mostly Slave Leia. For a small price, a harem of Slave Leias acted extra slutty with each other, and may have even washed your car, if the below video is to be believed. The event benefited the Make-a-Wish Foundation and men throughout the world.
I feel very dirty right now. Oops, I mean my car is very dirty right now.
Today was a day where we got to know more about those living in the universe of Star Wars: The Old Republic. Next to a trio of new biographies, we also got a new section to the HoloNet. But let's start with the biographies, as per the official news
We’ve expanded the Biographies section of the HoloNet to include more of the exciting figures you will meet in Star Wars™: The Old Republic™!
This update includes profiles of three of the most influential people in The Old Republic era: Galactic Republic Special Forces commander, General Garza; the fierce warrior and sole ruler of the Mandalorians, Mandalore; and the star of the “Deceived” cinematic trailer, the ruthless Darth Malgus!
This is just the second in a series of regular updates to the Biographies section so be sure to check back regularly!
For this "star of the “Deceived” cinematic trailer" they've got a bit more though. Because it seems that Darth Malgus is getting his own novel:
You first experienced the devastating might of Darth Malgus on the day that changed the galaxy forever during the Sacking of Coruscant. Now you can learn more about the man behind the mask in the latest novel set in the same time period as Star Wars™: The Old Republic™!
We’re pleased to announce a remarkable new novel entitled Deceived, which tells the story of Darth Malgus and gives fascinating insight into his rise to fame and glory as the Sith Lord who destroyed the Jedi Temple. This stunning narrative finds our dark hero battling a veteran Jedi Master, setting the stage for the affairs and betrayals surrounding the last battle of the Great War before the signing of the Treaty of Coruscant.
Deceived is being written by Paul S. Kemp with the BioWare and LucasArts teams’ full cooperation and creative consultation to bring you an accurate account of the explosive incident and the ruthless man behind it.
Published by Del Rey, this 256-page hardcover book will be priced at $27.00. Mark your calendar to pick up your copy of Deceived going on sale December 28th, 2010. It’s a gripping read and and a terrific opportunity to become further immersed in the stories of Star Wars: The Old Republic.
And while we understand there is thirst for knowledge of the dark lord’s past, many are curious about what has happened to Darth Malgus since the Sacking of Coruscant. Learn more about this enigmatic character as he appears in The Old Republic by accessing the latest Biography update of Darth Malgus!
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About the Author: Paul S. Kemp is a speculative fiction writer in Grosse Point, Michigan. He has written nine Forgotten Realms fantasy novels, and recently expanded into the Star Wars™ expanded universe with Crosscurrent, a standalone Star Wars novel featuring Jedi Knight Jaden Korr and a shipload of ancient Sith out of time and place.
When he's not writing, Paul practices corporate law in Michigan, which has inspired him to create some believably corrupt villains. But whether he’s writing sword and sorcery, science fiction, or space opera, his work is always dark, gritty, and character driven. For more information on Paul S. Kemp or to read a sample of his writing, visit www.paulskemp.com.
For those looking for the book on Amazon.co.uk, unless I miss my guess, it should be this one. Interesting how they don't have the title or the cover yet.
And finally there's the new section to the HoloNet: "Inhabitants". Here you can see creatures and humanoids and droids and such that the players might encounter. Here's the official news:
If you’ve been waiting for information about the colorful creatures, species, and droids that populate the galaxy, make sure to check out our new HoloNet expansion - Inhabitants! In this section you can find new information and media about the galactic inhabitants that will entertain – and challenge – you in Star Wars™: The Old Republic™.
Inhabitants will be updated regularly, so be sure to check back often to get the latest updates and information!
Two things of interesting note I found there. First is the Salky Hound for which the screenshots show them almost as pet (or perhaps as a sort of companion). Of course those could just be NPCs with the hounds. Another thing I found interesting is getting a look at the Gormak, one of the two species living on the new planet Voss.
Apparently, LucasFilm has decided to covert the Star Wars Trilogies into 3D. This is not exactly a surprise, as Hollywood is an a rush to make every movie 3D. But how big of a money maker will it be for the franchise?
The cost to convert a traditional 2-D movie into 3D can range between $50,000 and $100,000 per minute. If you split the difference, and say the cost would be $75,000 per minute, then the total price tag to convert all six films would be around $59 million.
In 1997, George Lucas released the special editions of Episode IV, V and VI into theatres. Star Wars opened in January and sold $138 million worth of tickets. The Empire Strikes Back opened a month later, but only had $67.6 million in tickets sales. Finally, Return of the Jedi opened in March, and ended its run with $45.5 million in sales.
Now, if you assume that the Original Trilogy films bring in exactly the same money in tickets sales for a re-release in 3D, then LucasFilm would stand to bring in $250 million in ticket sales on a $37 million investment. My guess is that if they do the 3D right, and do it quickly, then they are looking at tickets sales much higher than $250 million for this new release.
Clearly Lucasfilm will make their money back and then some, but is it worth doing? Does anyone care to see this or is it just another case of Lucas screwing around too much with the franchise?
The above picture was one of the early pictures released by Bioware. The picture is of Ithorian witch became a playable race in Star Wars Galaxies in the "jump to lightspeed" expansion. Ithorians were a mammalian herbivorous sentient species from the planet Ithor. They were commonly called "Hammerheads" by less sensitive beings because of their long, curving neck and T-shaped head. They found this nickname offensive.
Biology and appearance Ithorians had two mouths and four throats, allowing them to speak in stereo. Female Ithorians had two humps on the back of their head, while males had only one. They had glossy, usually brown flesh. They stood roughly between 1.8 to 2.3 meters (5ft 10in. to 7ft 6in.) from eyestalk to toe. Their reflexes and coordination were somewhat slower than that of average humanoids.
In addition to allowing them to speak their unique stereophonic language, the Ithorians' four throats also had the ability to violently expel air, resulting in a deafening and potentially concussive scream. Although even common Ithorians possessed this strange talent, those with Force training (such as Jedi Master Roron Corobb) could push enough power into their sonic bellow to shatter iron and shred plasteel. Despite this fact, most Ithorians went their entire lives without ever resorting to violence, and so the ability remained relatively ambiguous.
History
Ithorians were natives of the planet Ithor, a lush world with sprawling rain forests. The Ithorians worshiped Mother Jungle, and long ago vowed never to desecrate their planet. Once they discovered repulsorlift technology, the Ithorians built expansive "herdships" floating in the skies above their homeworld. The species migrated to these platforms, ensuring that Ithor would remain pristine forever. These herdships eventually were given the ability to travel across interstellar distances. The Ithorian people were led by their high priest. First contact with the Republic occurred in 12,000 BBY.
Abroad, Ithorians integrated well with the Galactic community. Their own language was incredibly beautiful, yet difficult to learn, as the Ithorians had twin mouths on opposite sides of their necks. Fortunately, they could speak Basic, albeit with a strange accent. Each Ithorian herd was presided over by a Force-sensitive individual who served as both a priest and healer.
The Ithorians were crucial to the efforts to restore planets that had been devastated by the Mandalorian and Jedi Civil Wars, such as Telos IV.
Ithorian society maintained its peaceful nature by exiling those who had a tendency towards violence and aggression. Two such exiles were the Moomo brothers, Dob and Del who worked for the Galactic Republic as hired muscle, although they were less than competent in their efforts. An exile named Momaw Nadon was present in the Mos Eisley cantina shortly before the Battle of Yavin.
During the Yuuzhan Vong War, Ithor was destroyed by the Yuuzhan Vong as part of their invasion plan. They chose to destroy this planet, even though it was a lush jungle world, because one of the trees' pollen could cause their Vonduun Crab Armor to expand rapidly, killing the Warrior. Many years after the Yuuzhan Vong invasion, Leia Organa Solo convinced Chief of State Cal Omas to allow the Ithorians to resettle on the planet Borao in the Inner Rim Territories over RePlanetHab, a large reconstruction conglomerate. Other Ithorians settled on Oetrago, Upell and Felucia.
Society and culture
thorians worship the "Mother Jungle," a spiritual entity embodying the lush, tropical ecology of their world, Ithor. They were generally devoted environmentalists, staunch herbivores, and complete pacifists, devoting much time to contemplating their ecology, studying plants and their uses and the overall respecting of all living things. Most Ithorians never set foot on their own planet, instead living in floating cities above their world called herdships. Only three of their continents had been explored and harvested, the other two never having been touched by Ithorian hands. This demonstrates their extreme belief in the protection and sustainment of their environment which is apparent through their 'Law of Life'.
The Ithorians practice a communal form of government. Each herdship is autonomous and self-supporting. However once every Ithorian season (about five standard years), the herds gather for "the Meet." A grand gathering above the surface of their world, where the herd ships would join each other in a festival and regal ceremony.
Ithorian’s curious and gregarious nature meant that many found their way offplanet via their floating herdship’s space-worthy counterparts. Many became galactic traders, traveling the stars either independently or as part of their herdship. They would only resort to violence if threatened, and they were more likely to use their sonic bellow than a weapon. Because of their mild demeanor most Ithorians avoided war in general, although the Rebel Alliance did boast a few among its ranks. Their pacifistic nature meant that they refused to touch things that came as a result of bloodshed.
When dealing with others, Ithorians were always supremely polite. They were very conversational and had profound respect for the views of others. Though often described as likable and friendly, many sentients found them altogether dull. Even when they had disagreements, Ithorians were unlikely to discuss their grievances with anyone unless the offending party was present. To do otherwise was considered rude.
Despite their reputation, not all Ithorians were so peaceful. Rarely, violent and unruly Ithorians were born and subsequently banished from their homeworld or herdship. Such Ithorians often became drifters and bounty hunters, like Del and Dob Moomo.
Within Ithorian society, there were a priestly group known as Nature priests who communed with the "Mother Jungle" and had a deeper connection to the Ithorian homeworld. Within the trading guilds themselves, Merchantates were present who dealt with business matters.
Calo Nord, a Human male, was an infamous bounty hunter who lived during the Jedi Civil War, a galaxy-spanning conflict initiated by the Sith Lords Darth Revan and Darth Malak. Nord was sold into slavery by his mother and father at a young age. On his sixteenth birthday, he killed his slave masters and tracked down his parents, murdering them as well. A bounty was placed on Nord, but he eliminated every mercenary that pursued him. Once the attempts on his life ended, Nord murdered those who had placed the bounty and became a bounty hunter by trade, taking assignments from any party that paid. Nord occasionally worked for the Exchange criminal syndicate boss Davik Kang but had been also contracted by the Galactic Republic for operations in the Core.
During the final year of the Jedi Civil War, Nord was on the planet Taris for business with Kang while Malak, who had betrayed Revan and usurped control of the Sith Empire, and following the attack on the Republic vessel Endar Spire, he quarantined the planet in order to search for the Jedi KnightBastila Shan, who had become marooned on the Tarisian surface. Malak eventually ordered the planet's destruction in an attempt to kill Shan. When the Sith began to bombard Taris, Nord and Kang attempted to flee aboard Kang's freighter Ebon Hawk and caught Shan and her companions during their attempt to steal Kang's flagship. A firefight ensued, which ended when Nord was caught under falling debris and trapped. The bounty hunter was able to flee Taris and evade the devastation wrought by the Sith. He was subsequently hired by Darth Malak to track down Shan and capture her alive. Nord located Shan's companion, Revan—now a partially retrained Jedi Padawan—in the Eastern Dune Sea on the desert planet of Tatooine as he was searching for the ancient Rakatan space station known as the Star Forge. As Revan and his team exited some ancient ruins, the bounty hunter confronted Revan. Nord was overmatched by Revan and his companions, resulting in his death.
Calo Nord on Taris
Biography
Early life and bounty hunter
When the Human male known as Calo Nord was a young boy, he was sold into slavery by his mother and father. During his time as a slave, Nord learned to be ruthless and cold-hearted. After turning sixteen years of age, Nord butchered his slave masters. Free, he located his parents and murdered them. A bounty was placed on Nord's head, and the young man was pursued by many bounty hunters. Nord observed the means and methodologies of the bounty hunters who tracked him, learning and acquiring trade skills. He used his new-found skills to eliminate each one that was in pursuit. Eventually, the attempts on his life ceased. Nord, however, found and killed the people that had placed the bounty. Nord became a bounty hunter himself, taking contracts from whoever paid him. Among these contracts were operations on behalf of the Galactic Republic in the Core.
He occasionally worked for Davik Kang, a crime lord of the Exchange crime syndicate whose operations were based on the Outer Rim ecumenopolis of Taris. When contracted, Kang hired Nord to kill and bring back the heads of rancors so that the crime lord could mount the heads in his trophy room. Among the locations Nord visited while on Taris was Hutt Zax's bounty office, an establishment contained within the Lower City locale of Javyar's Cantina. By the time of the Jedi Civil War, a galaxy-spanning conflict initiated by Darth Revan, Darth Malak, and their Sith Empire, it had even been said that Nord had killed more people than the Iridian Plague.
Jedi Civil War
In 3,957 BBY, Darth Malak usurped the mantle of Dark Lord of the Sith when he betrayed his Sith Master Revan as the Jedi and Republic forces tried to capture them both. One year later, Malak conquered Taris; and, after the Jedi Knight Bastila Shan crash-landed on Taris, the Dark Lord quarantined the planet and ordered his fleet to blockade the planet so that the Sith forces could search for Shan.
During the Sith's quarantine of Taris, Nord, who was on the planet for business with Davik Kang, encountered a Republic soldier named Revan on two occasions. Revan, who was unknowingly the former Dark Lord of the Sith, had been marooned on Taris with Republic commander Carth Onasi, and they were searching for Shan. Nord first met Revan in Javyar's Cantina, where the bounty hunter killed three Black Vulkars for having disturbed him. Revan tried to engage Nord in conversation, but the departing Nord desired not to be bothered. Revan complied, not wanting to provoke the bounty hunter into attacking him. Nord later encountered Revan when the soldier was exploring the Lower City's apartments. There, Nord killed two Rodians so that he could collect the corresponding bounties.
Nord was present at Kang's estate when the crime lord's enforcer, the Mandalorian Canderous Ordo, brought Revan, Onasi, and Shan—who had been successfully rescued by the two Republic soldiers—to the estate. Ordo introduced Revan to the crime lord as an individual interested in joining the Exchange. Nord told the Mandalorian that it was not like him to take on partners and taunted Ordo. He then accompanied Kang while the crime lord treated Revan and his companions to a tour of his estate, showing them his freighter, the Ebon Hawk. After the tour, Nord and Kang took Ordo, Revan, Shan, and Onasi to a guest room and warned Revan to stay in the guest wing of the estate. Kang left to look into Revan's background, as a standard precaution, and told Nord to come with him.
Aboard his flagship Leviathan, Darth Malak concluded that his troops' search for Shan was taking too long and ordered the Sith Admiral Saul Karath to have the Sith fleet destroy Taris in order to kill the Jedi. Nord and Kang, hoping to flee the bombardment, entered the hangar where the Ebon Hawk was housed, but they discovered that Revan and his companions were attempting to steal the ship. After Kang spoke to the group, Nord told the crime lord he would kill them, stating that he had looked forward to doing so for a long time. Kang implored the bounty hunter to hurry, saying that if they did not escape, the Sith's lasers would be their demise. In the ensuing firefight, Nord realized that himself and Kang were outmatched. Kang perished, and Nord—who was not willing to let Ordo, the Republic soldiers and the Jedi escape—tried to use a thermal detonator to kill everyone, including himself. Instead, the bombardment partially destroyed the hangar, causing Nord to be buried underneath a heap of rubble. Leaving Nord and the deceased Kang, Revan's group boarded the Ebon Hawk and gathered the rest of their companions before fleeing Taris and the Sith bombardment.
Darth Malak hires Calo Nord to capture Bastila Shan.
Death
Even though he had been buried in rubble on Taris, Nord survived the attack and was able to escape the planet. He was later granted an audience with Darth Malak aboard the Leviathan. Admiral Karath brought Nord in as an eyewitness of Bastila Shan's survival. When the bounty hunter entered the bridge, Malak expressed his surprise that Nord had managed to survive his encounter with Shan and Onasi, to which the bounty hunter replied that he was difficult to kill. Nord agreed to capture Shan, and Karath assured Malak that the bounty hunter's services were worth the demanded price. Malak told Nord that he desired Shan taken alive, if possible, but that the Jedi's other companions were of no value. Nord and Karath then privately met with Malak away from the crew on the Leviathan's bridge, during which Nord revealed to Malak that his former Sith Master, Revan, had survived and was one of the members responsible for Shan's escape.
Nord set out to find both Shan and Revan, who was now a retrained Jedi Padawan tasked with searching for the mysterious Rakatan Star Forge space station under Malak's control. The bounty hunter located Revan in the Eastern Dune Sea on the desert world Tatooine and hired two Rodian and two Aqualish henchmen to confront the elusive Jedi. Nord set an ambush while Revan was inside a cave where a krayt dragon had taken nest. Nord confronted Revan after the Jedi found a second Rakatan Star Map, which was needed to locate the Star Forge, inside the cave. Nord gave Revan credit for having evaded him thus far but stated that no one could ultimately escape him. The bounty hunter and his accomplices were overmatched and killed by the former Sith Lord and his companions.
Calo Nord confronts Revan in the Eastern Dune Sea on Tatooine.
Legacy
Shortly after Nord's death, Admiral Karath informed Darth Malak of Nord's failure. Malak told Karath that the penalty for failure was death, but that the failure belonged to Nord, not Karath himself. Malak dispatched his Shadow Hand, Darth Bandon, to kill Revan and capture Shan. Prior to his death, the leaders of the secret bounty hunter guild known as the GenoHaradan had considered admitting Nord into their organization, although he had not yet proven himself worthy of joining. Due to Nord's death at Revan's hands, however, the GenoHaradan's overseers opted to approach Revan with an invitation instead.
Personality and traits
Calo Nord was a diminutive Human male who seemed harmless upon a first glance. Nord spoke Basic, the Republic's trade language. He moved with careful, deliberate precision and possessed an expressionless face. He was willing to take contracts from anyone who paid him well. Even though his ultimate loyalty was to whomever offered him the most credits, Nord also worked for the thrill of the hunt. He enjoyed toying with other mercenaries. Nord had a reputation of being unafraid of potential adversaries, in addition to his regular perception of being cold, menacing, and unapproachable. He also possessed innate instincts for both survival and killing. Nord's story was dismissed by some as a myth that was created to scare aspiring criminals. No name was more feared among the criminals in the Outer Rim than Calo Nord.
In a couple cases, when someone disturbed Nord, he counted to three, with a number after each interjection. Having counted to three in order for the being to escape his anger, he opened fire on the nuisance for bothering him. Nord was not willing to let anyone defeat him and would go to great lengths to ensure that an individual did not defeat him. When Shan, Ordo, Revan, and Onasi defeated him on Taris, Nord threatened to kill himself with a thermal detonator in an attempt to ensure their deaths. The bounty hunter also aspired to claim a pearl from a krayt dragon on Tatooine. He considered one of these pearls to be the greatest of hunting trophies.
Relationships
When Calo Nord was a boy, he was sold into slavery by his parents. He murdered his slave masters when he turned sixteen and tracked down his parents, murdering them. After establishing himself as a bounty hunter, Nord worked for any individual who offered him the most credits. He had working business relationships with Exchange crime lord Davik Kang, the Galactic Republic, and Darth Malak's Sith Empire. Nord periodically taunted the Mandalorian Canderous Ordo, who was also an employee of Davik Kang. Darth Malak's Sith apprentice, Darth Bandon, disliked Nord and viewed him as pathetic. Bandon expressed this opinion to Revan when the Sith confronted the Jedi.
Equipment
Calo Nord used two Mandalorian heavy blasters as his primary weapons, but he was capable of fighting with a vibroblade when pressed. Nord also carried four stun grenades and two thermal detonators in his arsenal. He possessed a pair of goggles that granted him low-light vision when he wore them and used a prototype energy shield of Verpine design for extra protection during battle. Nord carried 2,000 credits on his person and employed a datapad, on which he kept a record of his thoughts and trophy kills. At some point during his life, Nord ordered a custom suit of battle armor that was based on heavily modified Mandalorian designs. After the suit was completed, Nord murdered the armorer to ensure his suit would remain unique.
. For a small price, a harem of Slave Leias 
acted extra slutty with each other, and may have even washed your car, if the below video is to be believed. The event benefited the Make-a-Wish Foundation and men throughout the world. 
at Amazon.com
into 3D. This is not exactly a surprise, as Hollywood is an a rush to make every movie 3D. But how big of a money maker will it be for the franchise?
opened a month later, but only had $67.6 million in tickets sales. Finally, 
opened in March, and ended its run with $45.5 million in sales. 
had two mouths and four throats, allowing them to speak in stereo. Female Ithorians had two humps on the back of their head, while males had only one. They had glossy, usually brown flesh. They stood roughly between 1.8 to 2.3 meters (5ft 10in. to 7ft 6in.) from eyestalk to toe. Their reflexes and coordination were somewhat slower than that of average humanoids.
, Ithor was destroyed by the Yuuzhan Vong as part of their invasion plan. They chose to destroy this planet, even though it was a lush jungle world, because one of the trees' pollen could cause their Vonduun Crab Armor to expand rapidly, killing the Warrior. Many years after the Yuuzhan Vong invasion, Leia Organa Solo convinced Chief of State Cal Omas to allow the Ithorians to resettle on the planet Borao in the Inner Rim Territories over RePlanetHab, a large reconstruction conglomerate. Other Ithorians settled on Oetrago, Upell and Felucia.
