jedi

Star Wars: The old Republic – E3 Multiplayer Demo

This week’s Friday update brings us a Multiplayer Demo from E3. This demo is an edited versino of the Video G4 hosted a few weeks ago. In this first-glimpse video Dallas Dickinson, the Director of Production, examines the core roles for SWTOR group missions. Dickinson explains the possible functions each class can have: the Trooper can be a tank, the Jedi Knight as an off-tank, the Jedi Consular works primary healing, with the Smuggler covers the DPS and alternate healing. Commander Narlock readies his troops for an Imperial assault. As he does, all four Republic classes; a Jedi Consular, Jedi Knight, Smuggler, and Trooper join together to assist in fighting off the attack. Watch as each player does his or her part to take on the enemies, and beat the Imperial Troopers and Imperial Breach Droids. Is it just me, or is anyone else concerned about the “class = role”…

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E3 – Day 1 Roundup: Ships, Groups and more

Looks like we are getting treated to at least some more eye candy today… If you’ve seen the latest update to BioWare’s “The Old Republic @ E3 2010” post then you’ll have noticed the following: The Old Republic Live on G4! Make sure to check out G4’s half-hour blowout on Star Wars: The Old Republic starting at 2pm PT! Adam Sessler, X-Play host and G4’s Editor-In-Chief of Games, plans to deliver a 30-minute all-access coverage of The Old Republic including live game-play. “Never before have we granted so much time to one game at E3,” said Adam Sessler. “Star Wars: Old Republic is a game of such breadth that the excitement around it and the time we are dedicating to it will have a huge pay-off for the viewers.” Want to see what the press are seeing? Then don’t miss a minute of it! Below are embeds of the Bounty…

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Know your Lore: Vandar Tokare

Vandar Tokare was a male Jedi Master who was the head of the Jedi Enclave on Dantooine during the Mandalorian Wars and Jedi Civil War, holding a seat on both the Jedi High Council and the Council of the Jedi academy during this time span. He was friends with fellow Council member Vrook Lamar, usually having the last word in their frequent disagreements, most notably on the choice to train Revan once again in the ways of the Jedi after his fall to the dark side of the Force. One of the attendees of the Conclave on Katarr, Tokare was killed during an attack from the Sith Lord Darth Nihilus in which the entire Miraluka colony and many of the survivors of the First Jedi Purge were lost. Biography Tokare took Derrica Praji and another person as Jedi Padawans and trained them on Ossus. In 4,225 BBY Tokare and his…

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Dev Diary: Combat in STAR WARS: The Old Republic

We usually get our dose of Star Wars: The Old Republic news on Friday, but GameTrailers recently managed to get their hands on an exclusive developer diary featuring BioWare and LucasArt developers detailing combat in the game. What’s even better, there’s more in-game combat video. Ever wonder why anyone would want to play anything but a Sith or Jedi? Find out from the team creating the classes themselves. [UPDATE] And the official news is live: Whether you dream of beating the odds with just your luck and a blaster, or imagine restoring order to the galaxy with Force powers and a Lightsaber, you’ll have your chance in Star Wars™: The Old Republic™. We’ve talked a lot about how The Old Republic is innovating on storytelling in MMOs, and now we want to share with you how combat in The Old Republic will deliver a new level of excitement for fans….

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Know your lore: Juhani

Juhani was a Cathar female who was a Jedi. She was a survivor of the Genocide of Cathar, spending her childhood on Taris during the Mandalorian Wars as a refugee. Sold into slavery after the death of her parents, Juhani was freed by Revan, who inspired her to join the Jedi Order. She was accepted for Jedi training at the Jedi Enclave on Dantooine and apprenticed to Jedi Master Quatra. Near the close of the Jedi Civil War, Juhani briefly fell to the dark side of the Force, but was redeemed by Revan, whom she then sought to aid in turn by offering support in his quest to find the Star Forge. In aiding Revan, she played a role in the defeat of Darth Malak and the Sith, and was awarded the Cross of Glory. Early life In the early days of the Mandalorian aggression that would culminate in the…

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Daniel Erickson shares more insight on the Sith

Mondays story about Star Wars: The Old Republic writer Daniel Erickson’s explanation of how someone writes for the Sith Empire sparked a huge amount of discussion on the official forums. There was so much discussion in fact, that Daniel Erickson took to the official forums to further explain his reasoning and thought process behind writing from the Empire’s point of view. Of the conversation occurring across the official forums, Erickson had to say, “An interesting thread. I always like to see what responses the philosophical discussions provoke. Hopefully people noticed that there were no quotes from me saying the Sith were good — even the interviewer ended on it being an excuse to unleash ones hate.“” After that intro, Erickson goes on to deftly explain the complexities behind writing for ostensibly the “evil side” in a manner that makes them more than dastardly villains with cape and cane. It’s a…

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December 3rd Information Extravaganza

And as I predicted there’s a lot more articles from the press event that BioWare held in November. But instead of quoting each one of them here I’ll just refer to Sean’s post: As some of you already know, we had two press events last month; one in Europe and one in the United States. Today, articles from various websites (and magazines) are being released based on information collected at these two events. We will keep a list of the articles and update this post as new ones arise. G4 Quote: Star Wars: The Old Republic Hands-On Preview BioWare has just released Dragon Age: Origins… Mass Effect 2 is on the horizon… but there’s a third game in development at the RPG mega-studio and it is none other than Star Wars: The Old Republic, the company’s foray into the MMORPG genre. X-Play’s Matt Keil recently got to check out the…

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Know your lore: Darth Malak

Darth Malak was a Human male born on Quelii who took the mantle of Dark Lord of the Sith during the Jedi Civil War. Born Alek Squinquargesimus and nicknamed Squint, he was—prior to becoming a Sith Lord—a famed Jedi Knight and military commander. Squinquargesimus befriended the Jedi Padawan Zayne Carrick and, after taking the name “Malak,” assisted him in defeating the Jedi Covenant. During the Mandalorian Wars, Malak gained a reputation as a headstrong warrior who would recklessly charge into danger. He eventually drew closer and closer to the dark side, ultimately being seduced by Sith teachings imparted to him by his closest friend and fellow Jedi Knight Revan. After the final battle of the Mandalorian Wars at the Sith planet of Malachor V, the two twisted the allegiance of the Revanchists and the Republic forces under their command, building the foundations of what would eventually become a new Sith…

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While we wait for The Old Republic: Contract of Evil

Contract of Evil is a 2004 fan film directed by Kantz, starring Lou Klein, who also wrote the film, Rusty Locke, Andre “China” McCoy and Edwin Villa. It received the Best Makeup award in The Official Star Wars Fan Film Awards of 2008. From TheForce.Net: For years, the Sith were thought to be extinct – but on a remote desolate planet, vengeful spirits of chaos have decreed a battle for power, for only through a trial of pain can the hidden Sith masters find one worthy of the title Dark Lord. Two brothers, Wroth and Anarcis, have boasted of their ability to pass the trials – but someone else has also answered the challenge… Originally Released: October 2004 Two brothers, Wroth and Anarcis, have boasted of their ability to pass the trials – but someone else has also answered the challenge… Website: www.contractofevil.com

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Know your lore: Bastila Shan

Bastila Shan was a Human female that served as a Jedi Knight during the Jedi Civil War. Born on the planet Talravin to Helena Shan and a treasure hunter, her mother gave her up to the Jedi Order, believing that their lifestyle of travel and exertions was not a suitable for the young Shan. Shan was found to have an exceptional gift with a Force power known as Battle Meditation; which increased her allies’ morale while demoralizing her enemies. Shan sided with the Jedi Council when the Jedi Knights Revan and Malak rebelled against the Council and joined the Galactic Republic in its war against the invading Mandalorian Neo-Crusaders. One year after the final battle of the Mandalorian Wars, Revan returned from the Unknown Regions as the new Dark Lord of the Sith, with Malak as his apprentice, at the head of a new Sith Empire. Two years into the…

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While we wait for The Old Republic: Dark Resurrection

Dark Resurrection is an Italian Star Wars fanfilm (with english subtitles) written and directed by Angelo Licata and produced by Davide Bigazzi and Licata. It consists of two episodes, each 60 minutes long. The first episode was released in 2007 and the second episode is still in production. Movie scenes were shot in Italy and further enhanced by special effects. The story begins a few centuries after Episode VI, telling about a young Jedi apprentice who lives in a period of great changes in the balance of the force and galaxy. Even if it has been realized with limited means and with a very low budget (approximately 7000 Euro) the LucasFilm itself, after having watched the trailer, defined it “Truly Amazing”. Result of both digital technology and creator’s passion, this project has attracted the attention of the most important italian magazines (Ciak, Jack, XL, Panorama etc etc). The cast is…

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Threat of Peace, Issue #20

The twentieth issue of Threat of Peace™ catches Lord Angral aboard his battle cruiser. After receiving a tip from his criminal partner, Angral turns back to Korriban to confront the traitorous Lord Baras. At the same time, Jedi Master Orgus Din surprises the Bounty Hunter Braden in a Nar Shaddaa cantina and demands to know who was responsible for the attack on Coruscant. Check out the latest issue of Threat of Peace now.

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Know your lore: Kreia

Kreia was a blind Human female Jedi Master and a historian prior to the outbreak of the Mandalorian Wars. She was exiled by the Jedi Council because her former students followed the Jedi Knight Revan, who was her former Padawan, into battle against the invading Mandalorians. After she withdrew from the Jedi Order, she retraced Revan’s footsteps to the ancient Sith world of Malachor V, being drawn to its Force echoes. She discovered the Trayus Academy on the planet, and turned to the dark side, becoming the Sith Lord Darth Traya, the Lord of Betrayal. During the Dark Wars, Traya searched for other Force-wounds, and discovered Darths Sion and Nihilus. She formed a triumvirate with them, intent on wiping out the Jedi. Eventually, Sion and Nihilus overthrew Traya and stripped her of the Force. After having been exiled by both the Jedi and Sith, she held an abhorrence of how…

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senior writer talks about writing the Jedi Knight

Drew Karpyshyn is the senior writer for the Star Wars: The Old Republic team with plenty of experience writing characters from the dark side, but now he’s stepping out of his comfort zone to take a walk on the Jedi side. The fun he’s having writing the Jedi Knight class comes through clearly in Friday’s developer blog entry: “Nothing says Star Wars like a brown-robed figure brandishing a shimmering energy blade of righteous destruction. Exploring the Jedi Knight class meant delving the Jedi Code and how it works in theory vs. how it works in practice. What happens when you take that code and mix in a hefty dose of “what if?” is a recipe for all kinds of possibilities, and Karpyshyn is having a great time exploring them. His experience writing the dark side gives his version of “what if” a little edge, exploring thoughts of renegade Jedi Knights…

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Jedi Knights: Evenings of Passion

Yup, well, it’s out of the bag now, officially at least. Jedi Knights are in TOR, and they’re pretty much what you expected. More finesse than the Sith Warrior, and more wimpy for it. As you can tell, this news doesn’t get my heart pumping any faster — I’m just not that excited about Force-users in Star Wars. I feel they’re overplayed, over-worshiped, and over-emphasized in any product in which they appear. Plus, I’m envisioning the headache I’m going to get playing in a crowd of 90% lightsaber wielders, who are all jumping around and waving their big rave sticks like Jedi whack-a-moles. I find it not just a bit hilarious that BioWare is referencing Samuel L. Jackson’s Mace Windu as the primary inspiration for this iconic role. Not Obi Wan, Qui-Gon Jinn, Luke or Yoda, hm? Nope, you had to go with the guy who sat on his butt…

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Jedi Knight, Defender of the Republic

For thousands of years the Knights of the Jedi Order have been the guardians of peace and justice in The Old Republic. Through disciplined training and meditation, the Jedi Knights achieve perfect union of body and mind, allowing them to meet any situation with focused, fearless attention. Strengthened by the Force, they are able to turn this training into brilliant displays of lightsaber combat inspiring allies and disheartening those who would see the Republic fall. Access the latest HoloNet entry now to see a full profile of these heroic Jedi Knights, including videos showing them in action! Also, be sure to visit the Media section to get downloadable screenshots, concept art, and wallpapers!

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The Battle of Bothawui

A new holorecord in the Jedi Archive captures a poignant moment in the Republic’s recent history. Master Gnost-Dural recounts the story of the battle of Bothawui—a battle in which the courage and sacrifice of Jedi and Republic forces scored a major victory against the Sith Empire. BTC 18 – Nearly a decade after the return of the Sith Empire and the start of the Great War, the Empire had scored dozens of victories, establishing its dominance in the Outer Rim. As the Sith turned their forces toward the Mid Rim, however, the Republic prepared a bold surprise. When an Imperial squadron arrived to seize control of Bothawui, the entire Republic fleet was waiting. The fleet’s victory was celebrated across the galaxy, but the truly inspiring moment was yet to come. As the Republic fleet dispersed to defend other battlefronts, only a small force remained behind to face the Empire’s retribution….

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The 7 Forms of Lightsaber Combat

Threat of Peace, Issue #16 Sucks this week! Bioware has said October should see some juicy updates. So I won’t really comment on Threat of Peace, Issue #16 Instead I will look at The 7 Forms of Lightsaber Combat. So the 7 forms are as fallows… “Form I: Shii-Cho “Way of the Sarlacc” or “Determination Form” to be used against more than one foe. Form II: Makashi “Way of the Ysalamir” or “Contention Form” Form III: Soresu “Way of the Mynock” or “Resilience Form” Form IV: Ataru “Way of the Hawk-Bat” or “Aggression Form” Form V: Shien / Djem So “Way of the Krayt Dragon” or “Perseverance Form” Form VI: Niman “Way of the Rancor” or “Moderation Form” Form VII: Juyo / Vaapad “Way of the Vornskr” or “Ferocity Form” “quoted from Wookiepedia.. ——————————— Finn, personally uses what we at Jen’Jidai call D-Form. It’s an official form. “D-form, first discovered…

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Know your lore: Revan

“You will have gone from being the Sith Lord himself, to the savior of our galaxy.” ―Bastila Shan — Revan was a Jedi Knight and General during the Mandalorian Wars. A Human male once known by the nickname the Revanchist, he was both a charismatic and enigmatic leader, a renowned tactician and expert strategist, and a hero of the Galactic Republic during the Mandalorian Wars, leading the Republic fleets to victory after victory. Ending the conflict personally, with the execution of Mandalore the Ultimate and the destruction of Malachor V, Revan led the remains of the Republic fleet deep into the Unknown Regions to hunt down the remaining Mandalorians. He returned however, as Darth Revan, the Dark Lord of the Sith. Deploying his vast armada, the very ships that had fought alongside him during the Mandalorian Wars, against the Republic fleet, Revan ignited the Jedi Civil War. Revan and his…

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