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 #
“Regarding the Star Wars Galaxies petitions, we first want to thank everyone for taking the time to organize such an effort. As always, we appreciate your feedback, and I can assure you with 100% confidence that your feelings have been heard.
No one is more disappointed than we are to cancel Star Wars Galaxies; however, we are confident that this was the only decision possible. This was not an easy decision to make; Sony Online Entertainment and Lucas Arts spent months deliberating, and in the end we had to make the hard choice. We are extremely proud of the ground we broke with the launch of SWG, its growth and evolution since launch, and most especially, the community.
We would ask you take this opportunity to enjoy SWG as long as possible and participate in the game ending event this December. Thank you again for your dedication to Star Wars Galaxies and we hope your final memories are enjoyable.
May the force always be with you.
Linda "Brasse" Carlson
Director, Global Community Relations”
Carlson posted this message on the official Star Wars Galaxies forums this week. The notice was posted as an Announcement and replies are disabled but you can bet that SWG fans have something to say. What do you think? Are they making the right move closing SGW for good?
Where did your guilds name come from?
The Followers of Palawa is an ancient Order found within the expanded universe. When I began the guild two years ago I knew that a profound name would be needed to allow our members to truly immerse themselves within The Old Republic.
Can you give me a quick 2-3 sentence description of your guild?
Our guild’s philosophy has always revolved around a foundation of both quality and guild chemistry. What makes us unique is our cross faction feature, which will allow members to enjoy all of which TOR has to offer along side a great group of like minded individuals.
How did your guild come about?
Back in October of 2008 a group of friends decided that their paths would lead them to a galaxy of upheaval and strife. What began as a group of mundane friends soon flourished into a maturity community of great individuals exited about Bioware’s upcoming MMO.
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What kind of play style do you focus on? PvE, PvP, RP:
The Followers of Palawa will focus much of its efforts in both PvP and PvE. We also offer creative Role-Playing simulations for the imaginative mind and writer. Essentially we want our Followers to enjoy the Star Wars experience without any limitations.
What is your guild set up? How do you run your guild?
One could say democratic although representation is not part of our administration. There are two leaders myself (Kyandas) and my cousin (A’den Akaan) who initially have any true power in the guild. We have a Palawan Council that consists of amzing Followers who share our dream of community by willingly taking up responsibilities. Such tasks include an RP Coordinator, Forum Moderators, Writers and much more. These responsibilities keep new content rolling into our forums for our members to enjoy; just another great feature of community.
How serious do you play and/or run the guild?
I would say that due to life’s priorities my gaming can be clocked on a casual scale although, schedules vary between members. However, I am dedicated to the adventure which I have undertaken for more then two years. Unfortunately, guilds come and go but, our community has yet to become a dying star.
Do you have ranks or a certain hierarchy in your guild?
The best part about F.o.P is that we offer a variety of activities for our members. One of our greatest tools is our Award System which also coincides with our Ranking System. Awards are given out on a monthly basis and award Followers with a certain amount of credits depending on what they earned. Credits can later be spent for In-Game prizes such as crafted items, vehicles (if possible), money, things that are useful to players. To add to this, we have required that in order to achieve specific ranks within the guild awards must be earned. It is an interesting system that adds some diversity to the community and a sense of accomplishment.
Are you always open for new recruits or do you want to keep a certain guild size?
The Followers of Palawa is always open for new recruits who uphold traits of respect, maturity, dedication, and loyalty. Applicants are also asked to partake in a trial period that gives them an understanding of our community and whether we are right for them.
Age Requirement?
Currently we advertise ourselves as a 18+ to allow our members to understand and easily make new friends with those of common age. Exceptions have been made for younger applicants and those who are more experienced in age would not be alone within our tight knit community.
Guild size?
Currently we have 20 registered members and 15 active members. As we approach the release date we will certainly see old friends and acquaintances register.
What makes your guild stand out from everyone else? What makes your guild unique?
The part of guild that is truly unique would be the ability for our members to accommodate themselves in either Empire or Republic classes. We may have one website and no immediate branches but, once In-Game two guilds will be created for both Factions. I will lead the Republic while my trusty Bounty Hunter cousin will lead the Empire. We both have an extensive history in both gaming and leadership which is always a reassuring feeling for any guild member.
How do you spend your time until release? What Other Games are you currently playing as a guild?
At present time our guild organizes forum based RP simulations for those interested while others join us in World of Warcraft or League of Legends. Our Forums also play an integral part as we do our best to keep a flow of new content on a daily basis. Such content includes an original article known as “The Mind Meld” which is featured every week and delves into topics about TOR creating great discussions among the guild.
Members also have the luxury of enjoying or participating in our weekly Podcast that airs every Sunday from 4-5 pm (UTC-5) @ www.tormonger.com/bootleg. Another great aspect about the guild is simply the social environment; anyone can join us on our vent server for small talk and to really get to know each other. Since the beginning, our primary objective has always been to develop an atmosphere where the birth of a close knit community can spawn and it shall remain so for as long as this guild lives. Recently, we have been deemed a member of The TOR Syndicate, which is an online community for community members that are giving back to the SWTOR Fans.
If somebody is interested now how and where can they apply for membership?
Simply browse our site @ www.followpalawa.net to make sure we can accommodate to your needs. If you our satisfied then simply register to our site and we will take care of the rest.
We previously brought you a story about how lightsabers work but when it comes to filmmaking history, you probably have no idea how far the light saber has really evolved. It’s really interesting to look at the birth of the lightsaber and how it evolved into what we know it as today.
“According to filmmaker George Lucas, "Star Wars" had influences from early pirate, adventure, and romantic films of the 1940s. With its basic premise centering on a romantic fantasy, it was inspired by the great romantic traditions in the mythology of "King Arthur" and the adventurous spirit of "Robin Hood."”
She goes on to describe the look of the lightsaber itself and how this look was pulled off in film technology, even many years ago, helping to create the legend that is Star Wars today. And who can forget the sound of the lightsaber? The sound it made was just as important to the lightsaber as its look.
“The lightsaber sound effect originated from the hum of idling interlock motors in old movie projectors. This was combined with the interference coming from a TV set on an unshielded microphone.”
Today, the lightsaber has become synonymous with Star Wars stories and the movie rendition of it made it that much more real in the minds of fans everywhere. Even those who are not self-professed lovers of Star Wars will think of the legendary lightsaber when they hear the words “Star Wars”.
Many games have been created over the years to try to put the power of the lightsaber into your own hands. While many were interesting, none could completely capture what it’s like to power your very own lightsaber with “The Force”.
When you think of the lightsaber, what memories does it conjure for you?
When it comes to SWTOR, many would-be players are asking about its playability. EA has helped clear up some of the confusion by revealing there will be 200 hours worth of gameplay for each of the six playable classes. This whopping amount of game play will come from the questing and storyline itself and will not include crafting, raiding or the “multiplayer” aspects of the game.
They say it’s a “gigantic” game and if what they’re telling us is true, then it sure seems to be. We’re talking endless possibilities in terms of what to do in the game. With that much playability, SWTOR will be well worth its cost for the game and any subscription fees.
Gamers of all types, particular MMOers, are looking for more from their games. Technology has come a long way and while snazzy graphics and interactivity are cool, many of us still seek that extra something. When you can play through a game in a short period of time and it doesn’t retain its re-playability, it becomes stale, which is about the point when most gamers quit and seek a new game.
BioWare is promising us that something more and something new with TOR. They do shy away from talks of costs and investments, which is something media and many fans continue to harp on. In the long run, how much it cost to make is not important if it pays off with an excellent game and many happy customers.
Will SWTOR live up to the hype? We will just have to wait and see.
The SWTOR Forums are a dangerous place, a murky place where men fear to tread (and rightly so) and trolls amble free through the threads. As with any online community, there's a lot of drama to be had in there, and there are moments of genius hidden in amongst the more banal of conversations. Taking advantage of that mine of good material, Youtuber RussellW218 (or Russell Wilson, AKA Spikey on the forums) has added some simplistic animation (via XtraNormal) to one such conversation, to quite wonderful effect.
So here we have it. A battle of wits, between an increasingly disgruntled, and ever-s0-slightly sarcastic Forum Moderator/BioWare representative, and his arch-nemesis - an infuriating n00b who sways between ludicrous questions and idiotic suggestions as to how the game could be all sorts of genius. Rather wonderfully, the n00b has literally no idea about the essential fundaments of RPG playing, criminally, and hilariously missing the entire point of in-game progression.
The video isn't all that wonderful, and there is an element of an inside joke here, as RussellW218 says himself:
If you're not already on the forums, you probably won't get it. Also, XtraNormal sucks, BUT, it's better than just typing out a "blog".
But if you aren't on the forums, here's a little bit of information you'll need to process and enjoy the joke: there's a significant portion of users on there who are cynical wise-asses, who find little more exciting than tearing strips of the game, because it DEFINITELY won't meet their expectations. And then there's the segment titled the n00b know-alls, who get aggressive when they aren't just given a Beta code in exchange for their self-perceived awesomeness.
I'll let you guess which of the two categories this particular irritant comes from after you've had a listen. Be patient with it, it gets much better towards the end (and the very end is just about the perfect triumph of intellect)...
It has not been a surprise that many devoted Star Wars Galaxies fans are upset over the announcement that the game will be closing its doors in December. So many have decided to stop complaining and do something about it and have started a petition to make SWG free-to-play. The petition has almost 2200 signatures at the time of this write up so it’s clear that many gamers are serious about their SWG.
The petition offers a solution to shutting down the game- making it free to play and supporting it through the sale of virtual goods. It also asks Sony to consolidate players into a fewer number of servers and allow character transfers to help reduce the costs of keeping the game running.
It’s not a completely far-fetched idea as many other games have found success from switching to a free-to-play format. Lord of the Rings Online is a great example of this. They saw an increase in player base by 400% when they switched to F2P. I never played LOTRO past beta but when it went free to play, I went back to check it out myself.
In its 8-year run, SWG has fostered a very devoted fan base and these consider themselves not to be your typical gamers. The petition states:
“We, as paying subscribers to Star Wars Galaxies, some having participated in final beta testing of this game, and having been actively subscribed since it's release in June 2003, have been ardent supporters of this game since launch. We also recognize the fact that Lucasarts is currently licensing part of it's intellectual property to Bioware and Electronic Arts for use in an upcoming MMO release. We believe that the two licenses can co-exist, and should be allowed to do so.”
And it goes on to offer the following suggestions:
“1. Making the game free to play. (f2p)
2. Making the game free to play, with premium content available for those wishing to purchase a subscription.
3. Maintain the Trading Card Game as part of Star Wars Galaxies, and continue to charge for purchases made to the TCG.
4. Continue to offer free character transfers from one "Galaxy" (server) to another, while monitoring population levels on each server, to facilitate further server closures in order to reduce operational expenditures.”
So what do you think? Will the petition work? Are they going too far? Can SWG co-exist with SWTOR?
With the countdown to SWTOR going strong, we find ourselves discussing why we are interested in the game and what we really want from this Star Wars MMO. While most everyone loves the idea of playing a Jedi, the answers go deeper when you really ask about.
Some gamers are just long time fans of the Star Wars franchise and these are the devoted groups you find willing to check out any SW theme game that comes along. Then there are those who love MMOs and are tired of the many fail MMORPGs that keep finding their way onto the market. Some of us are just looking for a great MMO that isn’t World of Warcraft.
Then there are some who want to be able to fly an spacecraft. Are you excited for the space combat? Or not interested in that at all?
Some like the crafting and the companion system expected in SWTOR. Some gamers choose a game specifically based on these tasks that they can perform in “downtime”. It’s all about the type of gamer you are and what you really want most from a game like SWTOR.
Still there are more who just don’t anticipate SWTOR living up to their expectations. They want to play Star Destroyer captains, a Hutt Lord, or an Imperial in the Galactic Empire but TOR isn’t going to bring us that.
So let us know in the comments what you really want from SWTOR or what you are most looking forward to? Will TOR have what you want?
Today the library of Bantam and Del Rey STAR WARS novels will be available in all eBook formats at Random House. Beginning today, just as it was previously announced, you can get the entire catalog of Random House’s Star Wars novels on digital format. This is a great opportunity to enjoy all of your favorite books on your e-reader or even on your computer.
Amazon's downloads work on the company's Kindle reader, as well as on any smartphone or tablet with a Kindle app. Barnes & Noble digital purchases are compatible with B&N's Nook device. In celebration of the news, Del Rey's Star Wars Books Facebook page has a fun trailer that’s really worth the view:
Bothans is humanoid species identified by their short builds and fur-covered faces, Bothans are widely known as proficient and intrepid spies. However, members of the species have also become fearless leaders, relentless warriors, courageous pilots, and brilliant scientists. As a species, Bothans have been mastering the art of information-gathering for many years. The resulting Bothan spynet is among the largest and most renowned intelligence organizations, with operatives stationed throughout the galaxy. In fact, spying has become the Bothans primary industry. Since the outbreak of the Galactic Civil War, the Bothan spynet has primarily benefited the Rebel Alliance, although both the Empire and the criminal underworld occasionally make use of Bothan spies as well.
Due largely to their reputation as spies, Bothans are often regarded as power hungry, manipulative, cunning and paranoid. But Bothans are also well-organized, keenly intelligent, and very loyal. They live orderly lives, place great emphasis on family bonds, and are extremely protective of their allies. In addition, Bothans can be passionate and surprisingly eloquent orators, poets, and politicians.
Bothans hail from Bothawui, a clean, cosmopolitan planet. They live in tight-knit clans and are ruled by a democratic Bothan Council. Bothans speak both Basic and their own native tongue.
Star Wars Lore
Movies
The Bothans are an alien species largely allied with the Rebellion. They serve as information specialists, using their highly-trained spies to gather data vital to the outcome of the Galactic Civil War. Many Bothan spies died to deliver data regarding the second Death Star to the Alliance, just before the Battle of Endor
Expanded Universe
Bothans are a humanoid species characterized by stocky builds and fur-covered faces. The fur acts as an emotional indicator, as different moods trigger different rippling responses on a Bothan's fur.
Bothans hail from Bothawui, a cosmopolitan planet spared from the Galactic Civil War due to its neutrality. Bothans also have numerous colony worlds scattered throughout their small patch of indigenous space, like the planet Kothlis.
Bothans arrange themselves in family clans, and the apostrophe in their surname separates their immediate family name with their clan name. For instance, Borsk Fey'lya is of the clan Alya. Family is very important to Bothans, and clan loyalty is paramount; Bothans proudly display their clan sigils. Between clans, however, it is a different matter altogether. Bothan politics is known for subtle backstabbing maneuvers. While the Bothans aren't a violent people, their skills at character assassination are unparalleled.
The Bothans are renowned for their information-gathering techniques. For over 300 years these aliens have been cultivating a vast network of operatives dedicated to gathering useful data. The Bothan spynet remained independent during the Galactic Civil War. At least, it did so on the surface. Much of the intelligence gathered was siphoned to the Alliance, but the Empire and criminal organizations also took advantage of Bothan services.
It was the Bothan spynet that captured plans for the second Death Star, just prior to the historic Battle of Endor. Two dozen Bothan pilots and gunners of Blue Squad lost their lives in raiding the Imperial transport Suprosa.
The Bothan reputation for skullduggery and deception has colored many a being's perception of them. Many openly question their involvement in the Imperial trap at Endor. When it was revealed that the Bothans were tangential accomplices in the destruction of the planet Caamas, there was a great uproar that demanded the furred aliens be brought to justice. This political tinderbox threatened to split the New Republic, but cooler heads prevailed.
Now, the New Republic is led by a Bothan Chief of State, Borsk Fey'lya. A long time member of the New Republic's inner council, Fey'lya claims to have the New Republic's best interests at heart. But old Bothan habits die hard, and Fey'lya and his staff spend much energy in protecting the Chief of State's political life rather than tending to the Yuuzhan Vong crisis tearing apart the galaxy.
In response to one of the greatest advertising campaigns ever to hit TV by VW, Greenpeace have put out their own Star Wars themed ad, suggesting that the German car manufacturer are affiliated to the Dark Side even more than the little Darth Vader advert originally suggested.
Aping the original ad, in which a diminutive Darth adorably struggles to use the force, Greenpeace have introduced a whole raft of Rebellion characters, who confront Darth (who the ad positions as VW's spokesman of sorts). It's all terribly clever, though it somewhat devalues the Dark Side by suggesting the grand plan was to destroy Earth via a cunningly conceived opposition to CO2 emission cuts. Terrifying.
Anyway, the video is great (hence the rise of some 60,000 views in a single day!!!):
They've also released a follow-up - titles Episode II surprisingly - which is altogether more light-hearted, and features a frankly creepy dance-sequence that will furnish my nightmares for months to come.
What does Penny Arcade think about SW:TOR? Now you can find out because Mike Krahulik, known as Gabe on PA, has had access to the friends and family beta of SWTOR and now we has permission to share his impressions with us via the Penny Arcade Blog.
Gabe starts off, “Honestly they had no idea what I was going to say which must have been a little scary considering this is PA, but lucky for them I actually really like their game.”
That’s good news for TOR fans as well. Gabe tells us he thinks TOR will live up to its expectations. We know the PA guys can be pretty critical so this is a positive for BioWare/TOR. He compares the questing in TOR to other MMOs:
"Turning the quests into an interactive experience makes me care a lot more about them. A quest is still a chance to get XP, money and loot but it's also an opportunity to advance your character towards the dark or light side based on your decisions. In most MMO's taking quests is what you do so that you can go play. In SW:TOR, taking quests is playing."
He also talks about this compared to the last Star Wars MMO and he questioned whether or not TOR would be “Star Warsy” enough for him. Do you think it passed the test?
What about the comparisons of TOR to World of Warcraft? Gabe says:
“In the short time I’ve been playing SW:TOR I have already given more thought to my character than I ever did in all the years I played WOW.”
You can read Gabe’s full 1200-word impressions on TOR for yourself from the Penny Arcade blog.
First of all I would like to apologize you haven't seen a "Guild Sphere" column the last month. But hopefully we will be back at full strength through out the summer. Feel free to contact us if you want your guild featured on our website.
Where did your guilds name come from?
When we first founded it was initially named The Hidden Dragoons, taking two of the founders, another, and myself, as the two names that made up our guild name. Later though when we changed it to The Dragoon Brotherhood, we took the meaning of the light cavalry unit used in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Can you give me a quick 2-3 sentance description of your guild?
The Dragoons are a very unique guild that values the person and not the character. For many years we have played most major MMOs on the market, and strive for excellence (particularly in PvP), while not sacrificing frienship, teamwork, and the relaxed atmosphere we have. In this guild every member is valued, instead of limiting based on gear choices, we help each other to grow, and have thankfully retained members for many years, which as a leader, is a huge source of inspiration.
How did your guild come about?
We were founded in the now closed MMO named The Matrix Online which was an exceptional game for community. At the time we felt there were alot of elitist roleplay guilds and we decided to stear away from that, accepting and helping people grow, rather than demand and suck up to the elitist side of the roleplay community. We formed a strong member-base that helped each other, and there was and always has been since, a strong air of friendship, loyalty, and a real desire to help others. It is on these principles we were founded five years ago on, and these principles we still thrive upon today.
What kind of play style do you focus on? PvE, PvP, RP:
Primarily we are PvP, generally because the guild has alot of hardcore PvP'ers. Our PvP style is all about fighting as one, never running away, and growing as a unit. We do however have many PvE'ers and Roleplayers and aim to do all content. We just focus more on PvP.
What is your guild set up? How do you run your guild?
The guild is run by a leader (me), who oversees everything. We then have a series of ranks that make up the body and work very well with each rank creating a better whole, rather than each having a seperate function. As a leader I am honest, strong, but very caring honestly. I'm not for all, I have been heavily critized, and not all enjoy my honesty, but then we have members that have stayed for many years. I think when it comes to rules and how we work, we are very honest and clear about the limits we set. For example, we want you on ventrilo 100% of the time that you are ingame. Not to us that's fine, and we understand that for many it isn't and we make sure we tell them that. We don't look down on those who play this way, but some have a problem or get upset over it. Normally issues arise when people have a problem with things which initially they said was fine, and then realize it's not, but that comes in the territory.
As a guild, and I cannot stress this enough, friendship is key, it's like our currency here. Everyone is aiming to have everyones back and help one another. Now that doesn't mean we are constantly over-bearing, on the contrary, life is generally relaxed here, while we have lots of laughs on ventrilo. We rarely have drama, and problems are fixed fast.
How serious do you play and/or run the guild?
Generally things are relaxed, we have aims, but becoming the best isn't something we push to the point where it's not fun anymore. We just do what we enjoy, and do it alot, and quite often it's the secret to our success. When it comes to me, I take the members very seriously, many I have met in real life, which has always been a great pleasure. Although games come and go, it's still people behind the characters, and it's a been a fantastic journey meeting people from all over the world, all jobs, and each being a unique person. It's one of the most profound parts of MMOs and guilds for me.
Do you have ranks or a certain hierarchy in your guild?
We have a divisional system which sounds more complex than it really is. It works like this:-
When you're fully accepted, you choose which crew you join. Your crew is there to look out for you, and be a go to guy should you need it. You also fight for your crew in internal events. Each crew is lead by a Captain.
A Marshal oversees two crews, and their Captains, and is basically a guide for the Captain when it comes to crew management. A Marshal loses their crew, but gains larger departments (events, website developement).
A Grand Marshal oversees two Marshals, which heads up the entire division (Grand Marshal, two Marshals, and four crews). They are our officer rank, and really just make sure everything going smoothly in their divisions. They run large departments, and sit on a council to assist leadership.
Each rank is wisely chosen, and every member works hard. No rank really excels the other, they all have different parts to play. We try our best to make sure that general members have great says, so members joining, fully accepted members after trials are decided by ALL full members, and not just the officer team. It sounds a bit more complicated than it is, but it works extremely smoothly with every rank connecting with each other. There are a few more ranks in there, but they are the back bone.
Why did you choose the Sith Empire?
In most MMOs we are the bad guys and a vote long ago determined that we would go Sith. Not to mention Malgus is a great inspiration, that guys just badass!
Why do you run a guild?
It's all I've done in MMOs (my forth day of playing we founded this guild), and I keep doing it for the people. I love doing what I do, and couldn't imagine a day without this guild. The guild goes through ups and downs every one of them do, but I keep trudging on, mainly because we have such excellent people to trudge on for!
How do you approach Raid Planning?
We did do some raids in WoW, but it wasn't a huge thing. We did an auction DKP, and just had sign up, and turn up. When it came to selecting who goes, we tried to take everyone and sub people out evenly so that all could come, rather than make a core, and then go to create a B team. Our members were mature enough to make it work, and we never had problems with raids in general... except when we pugged :P
Are you always open for new recruits or do you want to keep a certain guild size?
We are open to all, but we prefer to be pretty contained. We feel 20-40 is probably the best number of people that suits our style. Keeping it small and contained and making sure everyone is individual. You have to remember, we are also always on vent, so 20-40 is larger than it sounds!
Age Requirement?
Probably 15+ we say probably because it's rare we are faced with younger players joining. The majority are adults, with families, or young adults who are in Uni or College. We don't really want kids, but if players of 15 or 16 can handle our type, then why not?
There is too much focus on age these days, which I don't always agree with, it's the person not the age.
Guild size?
We are sitting at exactly 15 active, small yet contained, and all on ventrilo.
What makes your guild stand out from everyone else? What makes your guild unique?
Our friendship and brotherhood is unlike any other. People really value each other, and everyone has a place. When you join us, we really make efforts to make sure you enjoy your time here. We have multiple events, awards, Hall of Fame meetups of old members visiting with new. Large events that we run over long periods of time, not to mention the huge server wide events we have done. In PvP unlike sooo many, we stand and fight, we don't leave each other to die we fight as one and die as one. Many are against this idea, they run to guards, mount up near death, and to us, watching our pixels die means nothing to leaving our members while we save our own skins.
How do you spend your time until release? Do you know each other in real life or do you spend a lot of time on forums?
Our guild has been founded for many years, so we are just playing games together and hanging on vent while rambling on TOR, especially as some, like myself, are at the boiling point of hype. Lately we have been playing APB, with a few FPS's thrown in for good measure. We are more MMO'ers though, so we are looking forward to getting into TOR.
What Other Games are you currently playing as a guild?
APB lately, and a few FPS, but we play lots together, most just chill, play something, and if it interests (and most of the time it does), then we all play it.
If somebody is interested now how and where can they apply for membership?
Visit our website at http://forever-dragoons.com and click the recruitment tab!
One last question, if there was one thing you could ask the Dev's to include, what would it be?
To not forget the value of the community, please don't make it as shallow as WoW, make being a good community member valued, and award teamwork.
Fresh from bringing you the news that LucasArts and Sony Online Entertainment have decided to pull the plug on Star Wars Galaxies (and rightly so in my opinion), we can now follow up with this slightly unhinged response to the news from Youtube user GoofyGrrl.
GoofyGrrl, a long-time player and fan of the MMO game, is clearly upset at the news, having dedicated six years of her life to playing, and obviously felt compelled to air her grievances to the world. So, with her webcam switched on, and her skimpiest vest-top sought out, she had what psychotherapists might call a full-on breakdown. Way to go. And even better she blames the death of Galaxies on the appearance of the clearly vastly superior SWTOR for this Doomsday announcement - entirely missing the point that the new game would have rendered its predecessor redundant anyway.
Two points spring up at this point: firstly, kudos to GoofyGrrl for managing to use a modern webcam to achieve a look akin to that of a mid 1990s Eastern European cam-corder. And secondly, the reasonable human being within me hopes that this is staged, though a cursory glance through her other videos doesn't fill me with confidence. But she seems a little too composed to be really upset - anyone who has had dealings with hysterical women will testify that there plainly isn't enough wailing or snot.
But if it is real, I fear this particular SW fan might be a lost cause. Here's soem advice GoofyGrrl: maybe turn your computer off, and go and play out with some real human beings for a little while. The world will seem a much better place after that...
Star Wars Norge: The Old Republic Fansite tipped us off to a great SWTOR song made by a group called "SkyMarshall Arts". They created a music video to go with it and it’s a fun listen/watch for any SWTOR fan. I can totally see myself listening to this while playing the game.
The first part is action-packed and exciting, with a slower rendition at the end. The video fits perfectly with the movie and it's all very enjoyable.
“This is a tribute to the upcoming MMORPG "Star Wars: The Old Republic" by Bioware, EA and LucasArts - as well as Star Wars in general. It is a compilation of the most popular themes from Star Wars wrapped in a sugary eurodance-ish coating. It was made entirely from scratch using Cubase, FLstudio and Audition.”
Credits:
Remix: SkyMarshall Arts (Eirik Blodøks Hafskjold) Video: Star Wars Norge (www.starwarsnorge.com) Original Score: John Williams (composer) Footage: Bioware Austin (for Star Wars: The Old Republic) SFX: Bioware (from Knights of the Old Republic)
I was super excited to get my hands on my own copy of Star Wars: The Old Republic- The Lost Sons comic and just as excited to meet Alexander Freed himself. On the ride back home, I was already reading my comic. I can see why they said the comic would be of interest to anyone planning to play TOR as well.
This is the first of a five-issue comic book series about Theron Shan and it contains a lot of lore and background for the game.
As Freed said on the official TOR forums, "I like to describe The Lost Suns as our 'ninth story' -- every class in The Old Republic tells its own Star Wars epic, and Theron's tale intersects with the other eight and pushes the greater game story forward, just as they do."
Right from the first page of beautiful artwork, the comic sets up the key characters. It represents Satele’s companions and whole Satele Shan is not the primary protagonist, she has a big role in the back story of the comic series. She will appear in a flashback told by Jedi Master Ngani Zho. She’s the leader of a strike force seeking to stop Darth Mekhis during the Sith invasion. We know little about her at this point in the story. You might know her from the Hope trailer as well as the Return trailer when she was just a padawan.
We are quickly introduced to Darth Mekhis in the present and flashback portions of the comic as the bad guy. She uses technology to try to further her advances to Imperial glory. The flashbacks give us portions of a battle between Darth Mekhis and Shan in which she survives the faceoff but we’re not sure why at this point.
We are led to believe that Theron Shan is a lost son to Satele and becomes the protagonist of the comic series. He has a shady past that reveals itself during the course of the series. It’s possible that his story might mirror Satele’s as well as the player’s story when we play TOR for ourselves.
We are introduced to some companions, such as the Tolian Twi'lek and M-6, his trusty droid. Master Zho tells the flashback story and was also the Master of Satele Shan. This latter bit of info is a little confusing as it seems Satele had multiple Masters, where Jedi typically only have one so I’m not sure at this point where this Master falls in the storyline.
The first episode is basically just an introduction to the characters and definitely leaves you anxiously hanging on to have the missing pieces of the puzzle filled in. The comic is well worth the read and it seems the series will fill you in on your specific class story in the game.
As if you needed one more reason to check out Comic Con in San Diego this year, BioWare has announced they will be setting up a TOR demo. David Bass, Senior Community Coordinator announced on the official TOR forumsthat they will be making an appearance at Comic Con. However, the best news is that you don’t even have to have a Comic Con badge to have a chance at trying the game.
“Yesterday, BioWare made an announcementthat we have a space at the Hilton Gaslamp hotel across the street from Comic-Con where fans can get their hands on Mass Effect 3 and the newest Dragon Age II DLC. Well, surprisingly enough, The Old Republic is planning on being there as well! Anyone (yes, even you!) can come to the Hilton and wait in line to play any of the BioWare games.
Those of you who have Comic-Con badges, never fear. We will definitely have the game playable on the show floor too, but as we've always said, our goal is to get as many people playing as possible at these events, and we figured the best way to do that was to extend the experience outside of Comic-Con.
Of course, we have no way of guaranteeing that you'll get to play if you come down to San Diego. We still expect long lines both inside and outside the show, so understand that even if you decide to come down, we can never promise you'll get hands-on. But we'll do our very best to make sure you have an enjoyable experience no matter what.”
Man, do I wish I still lived in San Diego!
While Bass warns that it will be packed and they cannot promise everyone a chance at a hands-on, this is an exciting opportunity for anyone who doesn’t have a Comic Con badge to get up close and personal with SWTOR. Stay tuned here for more updates and insights as we have them.
Will you be attending Comic Con or the public hands-on opportunity in San Diego?
Later this year - December 15th, to be precise - will see the end of Star Wars Galaxies, the MMORPG first released by LucasArts and Sony Online Entertainment back in 2003, and the more recent Trading Card Game (2008).
So that's the main "on-brand" competition for SWTOR gone then....
We write to you today to inform you that on December 15, 2011, Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) and LucasArts will end all services (MMO and Trading Card Game) for Star Wars Galaxies (SWG). The shutdown of SWG is a very difficult decision, but SOE and LucasArts have mutually agreed that the end of 2011 is the appropriate time to end the game.
We are extremely grateful to all of the SWG fans. We have had the rare opportunity to host one of the most dedicated and passionate online gaming communities and we truly appreciate the support we've received from each and every one of you over the course of the past eight years.
In recognition of your incredible loyalty, we are extending special Fan Appreciation offers to the current SWG community. We also plan to go out with a bang with a galaxy-ending in-game event in December and hope to see you all there. The details relating to these offers and events as well as the timeline and specifics regarding the discontinuation of the service, are provided below.
Again, we want to extend our heartfelt thanks to our player community for making SWG one of the best online communities in gaming history.
Sincerely,
Sony Online Entertainment & LucasArts
Here's a list of important dates:
June 24, 2011: 12, 6 and 3-month subscription packs turned off. TCG store closes.
September 15, 2011: SWG MMO and Trading Card Game no longer available for sale or subscription. No new or reactivated accounts accepted after this date.
October 15, 2011: Billing turned off. Free game trials begin.
December 15, 2011: Star Wars Galaxies service ends.
December 31, 2011: Free game trials end.
Massively sat down with SOE President John Smedley, and he said "the decision to shut down SWG is first and foremost a business decision mutually agreed upon between SOE and LucasArts. LucasArts has a new game coming out, and the contract would be running out in 2012 anyway, so we feel like it's the right time for the game to end."
This week BioWare’s Director of Production Dallas Dickinson returns with an E3 2011 preview video of a mission to save the planet Alderaan in Star Wars: The Old Republic. The video is short but it makes its time count by serving up a look at one of the group missions that players can engage in on the Alderaan. And while there are no electrocuted Jawas in this one (that never gets old), there are plenty of blasters and lightsabers.
More news on upcoming Star Wars TV projects, as producer and long-term George Lucas collaborator Rick McCallum has given up some details to Czech Position about the long-awaited and hotly-anticipated live-action TV series.
First up McCallum said that the show is likely to be shot at least in part in the Czech Republic, following on from “The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles” TV series, which was also partly shot in Prague and the upcoming Red Tails, which was mostly shot in the Czech Republic with a local crew.
He then got into some more exciting territory, giving a little more info on the expected ETA for the project:
The TV series is on hold, but that has nothing to do with the Czech Republic; it has to do with [the episodes being] so ambitious. We have 50 hours of third-draft scripts, but the problem we have is there is a lot of digital animation; we don’t have the technology yet to be able to do them at a price that is safe for television. Since we would be financing them, it would be suicide for us to do this [now]. So we are going to wait three or four years.
However, the pragmatic producer did go on to admit that the current state of American TV might throw a spanner into the works:
Network television and cable television as we know it are completely imploding, so we’re not really sure that in five years’ time we can release a dramatic one-hour episode because it is all reality TV now.
Hopefully, we're only talking worst case scenario here, because if anything needs to be green-lit and fast-tracked for TV it's this project.
Best of all, McCallum also offered the following plot hints:
It takes place between episodes three and four, when Luke Skywalker was growing up as a teenager, but it has nothing to do with Luke... Basically, it is like ‘The Godfather’; it’s the Empire slowly building up its power base around the galaxy, what happens in Coruscant, which is the major capital, and it’s [about] a group of underground bosses who live there and control drugs, prostitution.
The Godfather meets Star Wars?! Now that is something I can get on board with. Very exciting stuff, if you ignore that slightly pessimistic blip in the middle there...
...But still, maybe five more years to wait?! I thought we were supposed to be getting this show in 2009? I know it's supposed to be set in the future, but I'd quite like to see it before the future actually bloody arrives!
On BioWare Social, Chris Priestly announces that Mass Effect 3 and Dragon Age II DLC will come to San Diego Comic Con.
“BioWare is once again returning to the San Diego Comic Con and this year, we are bringing Mass Effect 3 and a never before seen, Dragon Age II DLC with us. Comic Con begins Thursday July 21 and runs through Sunday July 24 and we will have all sorts of awesome BioWare coolness at our base in the Hilton Gaslamp hotel. This will be the first opportunity for fans to play Mass Effect 3 as well as the next Dragon Age II DLC. In addition, we will be hosting the first annual BioWare Costume Contest on Friday, July 22 for the best BioWare inspired costumes. We’ll be giving away awesome convention swag, opportunities to meet members of the BioWare staff, and we’ll have a special designated area for cos-play character photo opportunities and much more.
Make sure you come and visit us at the Hilton Gaslamp (401 K Street) to experience everything live (remember, you do not need a comic con badge to take part). If you can’t visit us in San Diego, make sure you stay tuned to the BioWare Pulse TV broadcasts where we will be keeping everyone up to date with live broadcasts all day, each day.
We’ll be revealing more details about the events at the BioWare base as we get closer to the event. Make sure you plan to visit BioWare at the San Diego Comic Con or check back for details on BioWare Pulse broadcasts live from the event. Follow us @MassEffect and @BioFeed for more details on Comic Con.”
July’s Comic-Con will be all the more fun when EA makes an appearance. They’re also going to have their first annual BioWare Costume Contest on Friday, July 22 so it’s time to break out the cosplay and your BioWare themed costumes.
You can find BioWare for yourself July 21-24th at the Hilton Gaslamp Hotel with Mass Effect 3 and new Dragon Age II DLC playable for all. You don’t need special passes to get in so it’s a great opportunity to get a closer look at the games and even if you don’t participate in the costumes yourself, it’s a lot of fun to see them.
The Star Wars: The Old Republic official forums were abuzz yesterday with talk about dark/light side morals and choices, rumors of a release date and more. Damion Schubert stepped in to add more insight to the topic as well. Zoeller talked about questing and how it will operate within SWTOR and explaining that there will be some repeatable quests/content within the game but that the game won’t rely on it completely.
Zoeller also discussed where we will be able to fly within the game:
“Once you have your ship, every planet in the galaxy can be flown to.
Of course, flying to a level 40 planet at level 12 might not be the greatest idea, but still, you can do that.”
Then Stephen Reid also talks about morals and light side/dark side choices:
“The Light Side / Dark Side symbols only appear when using a mouse to hover over the conversation choices.
When using the keyboard to select your options, you’re essentially choosing ‘blind’.
Therefore, you can pick your play style accordingly.
Personally I mostly play ‘blind’ and roleplay my responses – and quite enjoy it, thanks. However, if you want to ‘max out’ either Light Side or Dark Side points, we’ve given you the option to do that.”
And on the very controversial topic of release date, Reid had a lot to say:
Stephen Reid first says:
“The release date window is the second half of 2011, and nothing has changed in that regard. Any other date you may hear at this point is either misinformation or an outright lie.
While you might think it's fun to pick a random date and get others to believe in it, unfortunately it's far too sensitive a topic for many people, and many will not get the 'joke'.
As a result, we've removed posts in this thread related to the meme and will take action against those trying to spread false rumors throughout the Forums. In addition, we'll be keeping this thread closed for a while as apparently it's not a subject that can be discussed without trolling (Yes, this is why you can't have nice things!).
During this "cooldown" for the Release Date Speculation thread, opening new threads on the subject, commenting on the topic in unrelated threads, or trying to spread misinformation through other methods (such as signatures) will result in moderation actions.
UPDATE: We have created a new release date speculation thread. Please read the first post in that thread and feel free to post accordingly.”
As we continue to await new and exciting information or updates on the game, we will keep you informed here as well.
FTWBroadcasting has just posted a 20 min Jedi Knight Class walk through video, containing all confirmed and speculative information from all over the web:
Jedi Knight Class Story
Companion, Armor
Weapons
Abilities
Advanced Classes
Star ship and More.
The video contains all the latest footage, wallpapers, promotion videos, and website coverage edited into the video.
It's the next best day of the week. The day were BioWare spoils us with a new screenshot of the game. This image was published on their Facebook page earliere today.
Jawas, notorious tinkerers and collectors of discarded desert junk, carefully inspect an astromech droid at one of Anchorhead’s many trading posts.
Could Star Wars: The Old Republic be coming out in September after all? According to ShopTo, an online UK retailer, it might be. After a recent update to the site, it now lists upcoming EA MMO title Star Wars: The Old Republic with a release date of September 9th in the UK. What does this mean?
MCV wrote about the topic today, describing the update on ShopTo that added this release date for the game. Back in January, MCV also wrote about the fact that EA executives were planning for a September release of the game. Disgruntled fans had a lot to say about this delayed release date that later seemed to be pushed ever farther into 2011.
After recent events and E3 news, most fans would be delighted to hear about a September release since a release any time before the end of the year was starting to look less promising. MCV writes:
The official word from EA is that the game will indeed, arrive sometime in the calendar year of 2011. This would be smart news for EA with Mass Effect 3 coming out in early 2012. However, many are still skeptical that TOR will see a public release this year.
Could the posted price be an indication that things are still on track for September release or is it just a mixup by ShopTo on the original intended release date that likely won’t happen now?
The Rodian are a bipedal race with tapir-like faces and multifaceted eyes, native to the planet Rodia, which is located in the Tyrius system. The skin of a Rodian is green in color, and there is very little physical variation within the species. Thus, non-Rodians often cannot tell two Rodians apart. The Rodian race has ears that swivel in their sockets, allowing them to hear in several directions. There is a ridge of spikes which crests their skulls, and their long, flexible fingers are tipped with suction cups.
They are a race of hunters by nature, and bounty hunting seems to hold a place of high esteem. As a race, they evolved as hunters, surviving their planet's tropical environment and establishing a series of war games which lasted for thousands of years. When an Old Republic scout team landed on the planet, the Rodians were there to meet them, armed to the teeth. They annihilated the scout team, and the Grand Protector declared that it was time to take their skills to the stars. Since then, they have not done as well as they had hoped.
Many of the Rodians who make a living off-planet are working as bounty hunters for corrupt crime lords. Their weapon of choice is the thermal detonator, since a widespread explosion tends to kill more than a single blaster shot. Each bounty hunter is obliged to bring a valid record of his or her kill to the Guild on Rodia for logging in the record books.
Rodians almost wiped themselves out as a race, during a time when the birthrate among females dropped below the level at which they were killing each other off. Harido Kavila, the Grand Protector at the time, devised a way for the Rodian people to funnel their violent tendencies through dramatic plays. The stories revolved primarily around violence, but had a well-defined plot and used the violence to magnify the emotional impact of the plays. The Rodian dramas became well-known throughout the galaxy, in part because they were strong dramas but also because they portrayed the full impact of violence on the perpetrator and his victim.
Despite the Rodian thirst for violence and a history marked by interclan wars, the Rodians have a rich culture. Harido Kavila, a renowned Rodian Grand Protector, further attempted to steer the violent tendencies of the Rodian people into a more constructive direction by encouraging the production of drama. Rodian theater works are now among the most poignant, well-respected, and violent productions in the galaxy.
Famous Rodians in KotOR
Hulas
Hulas was a bounty hunter of the secret organisation Genoharadan on Manaan. He tried to persuade Revan to join the secret organisation as well.
Suvam Tan
Suvam Tan was a merchant that lived in a space station in the orbit of Yavin. He slod weapons, armors and shields and only had prototypes in his stock. He also was a Pazaak player.
Twitch
Twitch was a duellist on Taris that preffered to use two blasters. He had an uncommon style to fight and was popular amongst the audience. Although he was practically insane, he was the last combatant in the ring, only beaten by Bendak Starkiller.
