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Rich Vogel & James Ohlen Talk To MMORPG.com

MMORPG.com was at the recently held Syndcon and had a chance to speak with BioWare’s James Ohlen and Rich Vogel. It seems when you least expect it, you get little gold nuggets of information.

First, there were some comments that add interest to the whole “appearance tab” discussion that revolves around being able to wear armor you want to wear because of how it looks, not because if the stats it has:

On the one hand, there’s the diversity of looks so achievement is visible, on the other, the mod system will allow players who wish to, adhere to an iconic look from level one to 50. Yes, you can totally look like Obiwan Kenobi, with the humble un-dyed linen garb and brown wool cloak look. Crafting will also allow players to change the color of their blaster blasts and light sabers.

Blizzard recently introduced an armor-skinning feature for World of Warcraft, and many TOR players have shown interest.

Next we have some more concrete information on if morality alignment affects your character’s outward appearance, as it once was rumored:

Whether you go light or dark is a personal decision. It is not visible by players or NPCs. No one will sense that you are a goody-two-shoes Sith and attack you. Any path you decide to go is viable. A total scum-bag Sith won’t get you any better equipment than a neutral or light-side one, just different equipment.

Finally, there seems to be some companion-related news in the not-too-distant future at PAX:

There was more to the Companion system that I asked about, but they were saving it for a big reveal at PAX Prime in a couple of weeks. Will you be there?

The entire interview is well worth a read, and it seems that there may be some great news coming up when PAX Prime starts next Friday!

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SWTOR FTW Weekly: PAX, Consulars And Other Big Things

It’s time once again to kick back, relax, and review the week in TOR in style, courtesy of FTW Broadcasting!

This week we learn about BioWare’a plans for PAX later this month, plus get our look at the long-awaited Jedi Consular class video. Also, just what “one more big thing” might Game Diector James Ohlen be talking about?

All that and more in this edition of SWTOR FTW Weekly!

 

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Posted by Lethality | 3 Comments

PAX Schedule Released – TOR Panel: The Force Is Strong With This One

It seems like we just watched Comic-Con ride off into the sunset, only to glance up and see PAX headed straight for us! And no reminder of that was more sobering than today’s release of the official schedule by the guys from the Penny Arcade.

And it’s all good news for fans of Star Wars: The Old Republic!

At quick glance, it seems that BioWare has secured a spot for the TOR panel in the main theater on Sunday, the last day of the show, at 2:00PM:

Star Wars: The Old Republic: The Force is Strong with This One
Main Theatre – Sunday 2:00pm – 3:00pm

The master storytellers at BioWare and LucasArts have worked together to create an immersive experience with Star Wars: The Old Republic. The Old Republic team will be in full force at PAX this year, with a new presentation showcasing the development and progress of this genre changing story-driven MMO! Expect new reveals, exclusive gameplay footage, and a Q&A with attendees. Join us!

I think it’s worth noting that this panel happens in the afternoon of the last day of the show. It may be unintentional and simply related to scheduling and venue availability, but… what a great way to put an exclamation point on the show by showing some big reveals *cough*releasedate*cough. Ahem.

As usual, Ask A Jedi will be in the Emerald City to cover PAX, bringing all the latest TOR news from the show floor and beyond.

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Posted by Lethality | 11 Comments

Tython – The Lost Footage

It was like discovering a Datacron.

Last night while going through cameras and other equipment that we use to document the various events for Star Wars: The Old Republic, I came across a nice surprise: more footage of the Jedi origin world of Tython!

Video of this origin world is scarce, as PAX East was the first time the classes were playable to the public. In fact, we believe that we have the only other known footage of Tython from the event. (If you know of others, or if you have your own, please let us know!)

The video shows a player running around exploring the various areas around the Jedi Temple, as well as inside the temple itself. No combat, but it gives you a nice feel for the area. As a side note, I guess this could be a visual spoiler if you want to experience it for yourself – so don’t watch if that’s the case :)

Now, for the disclaimer. Keep in mind that this is all very early footage. As we all know, the UI has changed drastically, including that of the Codex. Every bit of everything you see in this is subject (and likely) to change!

Enjoy!

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PAX East 2011: Daniel Erickson Audio Q&A

If you follow The Old Republic, you’re probably already well aware of our next interviewee!

Daniel Erickson is the Writing Director of BioWare Austin, and Lead Writer on Star Wars™: The Old Republic, and we had a chance to speak with him at the recent PAX East gaming convention in Boston.

What did we talk about? Well, for starters:

• Light Side/Dark Side Points
• Personal vs. Group Choice and Future Story
• Re-playable Flashpoints
• Advanced Classes – Reasons & Roles
• Combat Balance & Importance of Testing
• Pure Classes – Do They Exist?
• Companions For Multi-Classing
• Instanced Planets That Don’t Exist (Taral V)
• Space Travel
• Playing a Game vs. Experiencing the Setting
• Off-line Skills

Daniel weighs in on some current hot topics, including giving a little bit of detail on how he’s using his companion, and how we should expect things to change between now and launch.

We have to apologize a bit for the audio quality. This was originally a video interview, however we ran into some “equipment” issues that compounded a bit when we went to process and edit. But, the content is still there and hopefully it’s enjoyable!

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