Star Wars: The Old Republic - Who's Addicted Yet?

Wow, how many characters you got?!

Are there any specific servers or anything?

I don't know for sure since I don't have it yet, but I don't think there is anything wrong with the game per se. I don't think there are major issues that severely degrade gameplay. Though it is unfortunate if you can't get it to run smoothly on your hardware if it's a bit older, but many new games are like that. But many are improved with patches down the road (for both the game and video cards).

Those who see the game for what it is, and especially those who see the game for what it could possibly be down the road, seem to be enjoying it. Look at Settie.

It would probably help to be a Star Wars fanboy as well.

 

You answered your own question. The holiday season is the most lucrative time of year for game developers, just like a lot of other industries. This frequently leads to developers (or really, publishers) pushing stuff out the door even when it could benefit from a bit more polish.

I'm intrigued by the idea of this game, but not sufficiently to get past the idea of having to pay a monthly fee to pay it. I just don't think I'll have the time or interest required to justify a continuing cost for a video game.

Besides, I just picked up about a dozen new games in the Steam holiday sale (and still going) so I'm set for digital entertainment for a while.

 

I will find you. Only 9.3 GB left on the download.

I was thinking of making a Jedi consular. It seems to encompass the kind of gameplay I prefer in RPGs and MMOs alike.

I liked WoW, but for different reasons than many people, I think. I didn't mind the fetch-and-go aspect, though it got really repetitive in some of the expansions. I preferred the questing and exploration. I enjoyed quite a few instances as well. What I don't like about WoW in particular in MMOs in general is the "ZOMG EPIC DROPS," "LF HEALER, BE FULLY GEARED [or forget it]," ganking, camping, and griefing you get from anti-social types. I don't get the game being completely about jacking numerical scores and running the same damn raids over and over again to get the "rare drops" for your "toon."

What caught my attention with this Star Wars game is the added immersion feel: voice acting, storylines, shared instances, etc. I'm sure much of the above stuff will also occur here, but I think there will be enough to distract me from it so that it doesn't seem like the world is populated merely with text-based NPCs on one hand and quasi-literate 14-year-old miscreants on the other.

Also, I really enjoyed KOTOR in particular and the Star Wars franchise in general.

I was never a WoW fanboy when it came to the lore. I always felt it was a smorgasbord of fantasy derivatives. It hits all the tropes, which is fine, but it tends to lose distinctiveness in the process, resulting in a rather contrived and overwrought fantasy world.

 

Thanks for your feedback, Frosstbyte. I will probably really enjoy this game.

Once it fucking downloads.... 5.25 GB left!

C'moooooooon!

I checked three places for physical copies today. No dice.

 

I'm skeptical. It might be fake. There is even a disclaimer on the blog about the authenticity.

* * * * *

Overall, I like the game so far. From what I've seen (I'm lvl 15, though I haven't done any group play yet), it's pretty smooth this soon after launch. I've noticed a few minor bugs, but they don't impede gameplay.

The environments are beautiful. I'm running on medium with no AA, no shadows and it still looks good. My machine isn't that great (Intel Q6600, 2 GB, Vista), but my video card is half decent (ATI HD 6850 1 GB). I might be able to boost the graphics a bit, but I haven't played around with it yet. I'm hoping they'll improve the performance of the engine (and I hope video drivers will improve performance as well), but I'm not holding my breath. It runs well enough for me to enjoy it, and that's all that counts.

Coruscant can only be described as science gothic. It's huge without feeling laborious. It's labyrinthine without feeling repetitive. Otherwise, the outdoor environs are breathtaking and at times sublime.

I'm one of the recent 2 million who quit WoW out of boredom. From what I've seen thus far (I don't even have my own starship yet), I won't be bored with SW:TOR for a very, very long time. They've taken the tedium out of gathering and crafting, and quests feel like they're important even if they aren't really that different from WoW questing. They all feel relevant, rather than simple errands or menial tasks. All interactive NPCs have voice actors and cut scenes, which make the game come to life.

Heck, the Star Wars universe comes to life: the setting, the music, the sound effects, the races, the Jedi, etc.

If you are even a moderate Star Wars fan and are looking for a game to really enjoy for its scope (and further future potential!), then look into it. If you enjoyed SW:KOTOR, you'll probably love SW:TOR, especially if you like MMOs.

If you are a Bioware fan, you might want to see their greatest achievement: the largest, most detailed game they've ever attempted, and pulled off. If you look at the production of this thing, the thought of how many man hours they put into it is astounding.

The game is big and will only get bigger. Ten days in: 1 million subs and over 60 million logged gaming hours. Do the math. On average, gamers are gaming many hours.

I have seen why.

I'm one of them.

(I'm doomed.)

 

Have you seen this yet?

http://www.swtor.com/blog/what’s-next-old-republic

Given the initial success, I can only assume that future developments are already coming down the pipeline to keep things going.

 

When I read "Guild Capital Ships," I scorched my shorts.

 

I will! If we can decide on a faction/server, I'll start the process. Though the only server on which I have a currently eligible character is on The Ebon Hawk on the Republic side.

If you guys are patient, I will start a new character anywhere else and play through until I get to the fleet, where I can create the guild.

 

Great idea!

I vote for Imperial, as I've already tried out a Jedi and a smuggler.