StarWarsMMO Dev Tracker

AlysonBridge

2010-08-27 07:58

News and Announcements -> Blood of the Empire #10!

In the tenth issue of Blood of the Empire™, a battle between Republic and Imperial fleets rages over Korriban as Teneb Kel chases down his foe. The fate of the Sith homeworld and the Children of the Emperor is in the hands of one young acolyte and his slave--but duty and patriotism aren't the only forces guiding them...

Check out the latest issue of Blood of the Empire now!

BrianArndt

2010-08-22 01:22

Suggestion Box -> How Bioware could make a lot of people happy very quickly.

We only talk about what we are sure is 100% ready to be shown. We have a high bar set for quality and want to make sure we hit it every time. Things are always evolving and updates are happening like crazy. We will release all the info in time. have faith!

and yes, we read these forums every day!

SeanDahlberg

2010-08-20 16:23

News and Announcements -> STAR WARS: The Old Republic Fan Friday (August 2010)

Welcome to this month’s Fan Friday where we get to show off some great creations made by Star Wars™: The Old Republic™ fans. Also, be sure to check out the Developer Corner for a preview at what’s coming next for Advanced Classes.

What’s more, we’re following up on GamesCom. And don’t forget to see the latest official polls and avatars!

http://www.swtor.com/news/news-article/20100820-0

SeanDahlberg

2010-08-20 16:07

News and Announcements -> Starships of The Old Republic

Whether you’re looking to dominate the galaxy in the name of the Empire or rescue it from darkness as part of the Republic, you won’t get very far without a starship. In Star Wars™: The Old Republic™, your starship will be your base of operations, and it might even be your best friend. Ship models are specially designed to match the needs and tastes of each of the class types, so even though all the starships are outfitted for traveling the galaxy, each has its own character.

Study the style and specifications of the various Starships by accessing the HoloNet now!

SeanDahlberg

2010-08-17 08:46

News and Announcements -> Space Combat Video

Hey everyone,

We're in Cologne and getting ready for GamesCom tomorrow! As you may have seen while watching the EA Press Conference, Ray mentioned you can view a new video on our website.

So, special for GamesCom 2010, make sure to check out the Space Combat Video!

SeanDahlberg

2010-08-13 14:51

News and Announcements -> STAR WARS Celebration V

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeanDahlberg

Star Wars™ Celebration V is the place to see everything Star Wars, including The Old Republic. It’s taking place in Orlando, FL from August 12th to the 15th.

Check out The Art and Writing of Star Wars™: The Old Republic™ panel on Friday, August 13th from 2PM to 3PM, and Saturday, August 14th from 4PM to 5PM at the Digital Stage (Valencia A). Drew Karpyshyn (Principal Writer, BioWare), Hall Hood (Senior Writer, BioWare), Arnie Jorgensen (Lead Concept Artist, BioWare) and Clint Young (Senior Concept Artist (Environments), BioWare) will be discussing what goes into creating the art and story in Star Wars: The Old Republic, the upcoming story-driven massively-multiplayer online role-playing game in development by BioWare and LucasArts.

As an added bonus, Clint and Arnie will be creating an entirely original piece of concept art live during the panel, giving attendees a rare and exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the creative process. Don’t miss your chance to hear first-hand from the developers!

Also, to relax from all the craziness, we’re putting together a community event to celebrate our love of Star Wars with you. Meet The Old Republic developers Friday, August 13th and Saturday, August 14th from 5PM to 7PM at the Hoth Bar inside the convention center!

Speaking of Celebration V, make sure to check out the piece of concept art Clint did live during the panel today!

http://www.swtor.com/media/concepts/...-celebration-v

CharlesBoyd

2010-08-13 14:48

Trooper -> Pocket RP Guide: The Republic Trooper

A lot of really fun and interesting analysis happening in this thread!

I can offer one small correction: in this time period, Jedi are very rarely assigned an official military rank or command over military forces. It certainly can happen, depending on the requirements of a situation, but it isn't automatic - unlike the later Clone Wars.

SeanDahlberg

2010-08-13 07:59

News and Announcements -> Jedi Knight HoloNet Update!

As part of our ongoing class updates, we are thrilled to confirm the Advanced Classes for the valiant Jedi Knight – Guardian and Sentinel! Whether you want to defend the weak and inspire your allies to amazing feats as a Guardian or learn the art of using two Lightsabers simultaneously to create an intricate web of damage as a Sentinel, the Advanced Class system in Star Wars™: The Old Republic™ will help you customize your character. Check out the Jedi Knight section on the HoloNet for more information! Check out the media section to see a new video of the Jedi Knight in action, and download some never-before-seen screenshots!

We’ve also updated the Biography section with someone indispensable to the Jedi Knight – Astromech T7-01! Visit the HoloNet to learn about this known associate from the Jedi Knight holorecord, or by accessing the T7-O1 biography.

Also, make sure to check out the new Miraluka inhabitants holorecord!

SeanDahlberg

2010-08-11 13:07

News and Announcements -> STAR WARS Celebration V

SeanDahlberg

2010-08-06 12:09

News and Announcements -> New Playable Species!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jamion

No Twi'lek Jedi? What is up with that, hope this is only a partial list and as much detail and depth will go into playable species as there are planets. I also hope over looking Twi'lek for Jedi is something that will be corrected in weeks to come.

Here is what was said at the end of the article:

Quote:

As excited for these playable species as we hope you are, the list is not yet complete. We look forward to announcing further options in the coming months. We will also have additional details on the species above, so check the Inhabitants section regularly to make sure you get the latest information available.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Furby

I'm really glad with the race reveal, and I am going to check out the timeline asap!

btw, I am sure you guys at BW have it covered, but as is... the Zabrak is missing definition around its horns.

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/File:Sugi_wanted.jpg

The horns just seem like they were plugged there. Just a FYI.

While we haven't gotten into Character Creation yet (publicly), there are a variety of things you can adjust and customize for each of the species.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZudetGambeous

AWESOME UPDATE!!!

however, I am a little concerned by your wording. By the way the article is worded, it is strongly suggested that each species can only play as 1 class. We have a species for almost every class, but not a single species has been shown to be more then 1 class.

I wouldn't be concerned, but the wording makes it seem like that's how it is designed...

can we get some confirmation on the restriction of species?

I kinda figured they would be faction restricted, but i was hoping for at least a little class variety.

There are combinations we haven't confirmed. James recently talked on this subject at Comic-Con International, though, and announced that there will be some restrictions. For the time being, the combinations we have announced you can count on. What other combinations will there be? That's an update for another day...

SeanDahlberg

2010-08-06 11:22

News and Announcements -> New Playable Species!

So far we’ve only dropped hints about the range of playable species in Star Wars™: The Old Republic™. You may have heard about the Chiss Imperial Agent or the Twi’lek Smuggler, but we can tell you now that all classes will include optional non-human species.

Learn More!

SeanDahlberg

2010-07-23 18:54

News and Announcements -> Space Combat in The Old Republic!

Quote:

Originally Posted by SWGVet

SeanDahlberg please take a look at my post. If you can't answer then its cool, I am just curious anyhow. Thanks man!.

http://swtor.com/community/showthrea...=1#post3648661

While there are some (okay, many) details I can't divulge at this time, I will say that with the entire game we're trying to make something that is fun, entertaining, and that emulates the action-packed combat and experiences seen in Star Wars.

SeanDahlberg

2010-07-23 14:27

News and Announcements -> Space Combat in The Old Republic!

First, thank you to all of you who participated in our Comic-Con Reveal mission! While we didn't quite make the numbers, we definitely saw how excited the community is about this and how everyone came together. After all of that, there's no way we could hold back with our special reveal at Comic-Con!

If you’ve been following the news coming out of the Star Wars™: The Old Republic™ panel at Comic-Con International, you’ve heard the announcement that we will indeed have Space Combat as part of the TOR experience! But what does that mean? Space combat is an alternative gameplay experience to the primary game of storytelling, questing, and ground-based combat. In space combat, you fly your personal ship to various “hot spots” on your galaxy map. From there, you will blast your way through asteroid fields, enemy fighters, frigates, destroyers, and a variety of other obstacles that will evoke memories of some of the great Star Wars™ space battles.

To learn more, pick up the October 2010 edition of PC Gamer which hits newsstands starting August 17th for screenshots and an exclusive interview or check back with us in the weeks to come.

Check out the cover of PC Gamer's October edition here:

http://www.pcgamer.com/2010/07/23/st...led-in-pcg-us/

SeanDahlberg

2010-07-23 09:30

News and Announcements -> Fatal Alliance

Quote:

“Everything I have seen confirms my worst fears.”

Initially revealed last December, Star Wars™: The Old Republic™: Fatal Alliance has hit the shelves! Written by bestselling author Sean Williams and published by Del Rey Books, this novel takes place only a few years after the Sacking of Coruscant.

When a Smuggler discovers the legacy of a lost world onboard a derelict starship, a dangerous secret is brought to life. Allegiances shift as Jedi, Sith, Republic Troopers, and Imperial Agents maneuver for political power and personal gain. Ultimately, enemies must put aside their distrust to defend the galaxy against a threat of unthinkable proportions.

As an exclusive to The Old Republic Community, read the first chapter of Fatal Alliance before you head out to your local bookstore to pick up your copy!

[Read more]

SeanDahlberg

2010-07-22 18:50

News and Announcements -> TOR @ Comic-Con International - Meet the Developers Event

Quote:

Originally Posted by sleepr

Sean are we getting the regular friday update tomorrow or it will be the reveal you guys talked about?

Yes, the plan is to have our regularly scheduled update tomorrow, too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by chillinvillain

and make fun of her Xboxing.
"Hey Deb, you know you're going to have to figure out WASD and the two buttons on a PC mouse to play this right ;o.

Oh no, that's Alyson...

SeanDahlberg

2010-07-22 17:41

News and Announcements -> TOR @ Comic-Con International - Meet the Developers Event

Quote:

Originally Posted by GamewizX

Holy crap! I'm so gonna be there... I couldn't snag Comic-Con tickets this year and was beyond bummed out... (I live 30 min from downtown). I will see you guys at Fred's Mexican Cafe then!

Sean, question for you: Do you know which developers will be there? Also, is it a place where we can ask you guys some questions, or what is your guys' expectations? Sean, I'll totally buy you a beer (or whatever your tastes are) if you can answer a couple of my questions.

Edit again: I'm assuming people who aren't at Comic Con can be there, since it's not at the convention center, correct?

The people attending the MtD will be those from the "Beyond Solo" panel (minus Morgan Webb, I don't believe she will be joining the team at Fred's).

I won't be joining them (I'm back in Austin) but Deb will be there so, at the very least, make sure you say hi and tell her it's TORrific to meet her (she's to blame for all of our TOR puns!).

SeanDahlberg

2010-07-16 08:29

News and Announcements -> Music of The Old Republic

The emotional experience of Star Wars™ comes to life in new music created exclusively for The Old Republic™. From soft melodies that ring in the forest of Alderaan to the magnificent booming of a battle scene on Ord Mantell, a talented team of composers, musicians and developers came together to create a magical score for the game.

Watch Developer Dispatch: Music of The Old Republic to see what goes into weaving the familiar Star Wars riffs with a new original score. And learn how music impacts the thrilling moments in video games as well as movies.

SeanDahlberg

2010-07-10 15:16

General Discussion -> Game Testing and You! [Game Testing Discussion Thread]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deewe

Sean,

What are the forum rules versus posting about bata leaked footage we saw?

I mean we are all human beings, you know kids will do anything they can to access the sweets locked in the cabinet

The answer might need to be officially stated somewhere, because... it has started!

Being able to have the community help us test The Old Republic is very important and valuable to the development process. The Game Testing Program allows community members to give us quality feedback so we can make adjustments and have a highly effective service and entertaining experience when we do launch. Since we have some time until the game is complete, some of the information testers have access to has not been released and may actually drastically change based on tester feedback before we go public with it.

This is why we take violations of any of our user agreements very seriously. Our expectation is that players of The Old Republic will follow the terms of the Game Testing Agreement and ensure that the confidential pre-release information we’re sharing with community members remains confidential. We will take action if that is not the case.

Anyone caught promoting confidential information (such as linking to, reposting, quoting, etc) will be contacted and such information removed from our community. Actions that can occur due to this can be simply removing the post to being suspended to being completely and indefinitely suspended from the entire service (including after we launch).

SeanDahlberg

2010-07-09 23:06

News and Announcements -> Game Testing is Underway!

Quote:

Originally Posted by darkflm

i have just one question. can you just tell people you got picked to test the game but not anything about it, or is that bad too. just want to know in case i do get picked because i would want to scream it from the rooftops that i got picked (but only if it is ok lol0

Seitis responded but I'll just make it official. You can tell someone that you have indeed been invited to Game Testing but you can't really say anything more than that. And by "saying", I mean speaking aloud or posting it... that doesn't include forwarding your invite to someone or taking a screen capture of it and posting it somewhere. That last part isn't directed at you, darkflm. I'm justbeing specific since some people may not realize that.

SeanDahlberg

2010-07-09 23:02

News and Announcements -> Game Testing is Underway!

Quote:

Originally Posted by MandFlurry

are u deleteing our posts because u don't want the ppl to know this so-called great company is trash now.?

No, I deleted the posts for the very reason I stated.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeanDahlberg

This thread is being cleaned up and removed. We do not promote the use of any part of the official website for personal drama, whether it be guild, fan site, or any other source. Our goal is to create a safe, clean environment for our online community and this thread is not within the spirit of that. Furthermore, our testing process has just begun and we have not invited any press, fan sites, or any other affiliations to participate in it at this time.

I already talked to MandFlurry though (no hard feelings!); let's keep this thread on topic please.

SeanDahlberg

2010-07-09 21:38

General Discussion -> Game Testing and You! [Game Testing Discussion Thread]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clavion

Sean, the testing rules say that we the testers cant say anything but 1. We are participating and we are playing it or something. When can we actually talk about the beta? Or give ToR feedback? Will we be able to after we test?

It states you can't publicly state anything more than that. Users who are in testing will be given private areas to give feedback and communicate with the TOR team.

SeanDahlberg

2010-07-09 21:35

General Discussion -> Game Testing and You! [Game Testing Discussion Thread]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deewe

Sean,

Some of us are fluent in more than one language.

So how about a (multiple?) language selection for the testing?

For example I'm used to English but much better in French.
So depending on the test phases types, I might be more helpful for checking the dialogs and VO in French than in English.... even if I always play all video games in English. And your selection tool could hardly guess I speak French as I don't post on the French part of the Forums either.

As there are certainly a quite a few thousands persons in this case, it would be interesting to figure it out or let them the choice of language.

/Have a nice WE.

We already capture language selection in Essential Info (under "My Account".

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darildann

Most epic line ever, it deserves an award imo

*edit*

Well my Sig space is the only award I have to give so you now have it sir

Ack! Typo fixed!

SeanDahlberg

2010-07-09 19:58

General Discussion -> Game Testing and You! [Game Testing Discussion Thread]

First, we definitely share in everyone’s excitement. This is another step in preparing The Old Republic for launch and the team is just as eager for this as all of you!

Since there is a lot of questions and discussion about Game Testing, I thought it might be a good time to start a new thread. A few threads you may want to check out, though:

I’ve been reading through a lot of the posts and there are some really good questions in there so I’ll do my best to answer them.

First thing, what we announced is “Game Testing". This is currently underway and will end near the release of the game and happen in a variety of stages. We will be inviting people to different stages and just because you get invited to one stage doesn’t mean you’ll be invited back to another one. Unlike testing that many of you may have participated in with other games, we aren’t looking for people to test “everything". Each of our tests are focused on a certain or a set of goals and areas. We want people to have clear direction on what we’d like help evaluating.

The Game Testing Program is all about us validating the features and design of the game. If we find an area that people just aren’t enjoying as much as we’d like, it shows us that we need to adjust that feature. That is much easier to do when you have clear goals and ideas as to what we are looking for instead of just “the game".

Another thing I see people inquiring about is what I mean when I keep calling things the “service". While the game is a big part of it, it isn’t everything. We look at the entire experience as the service; the website, the community, the game, etc. This holds as true now as it will once we're done with development and fully launched the entire service.

Yes, testing is only in North America now. Currently the service is all supported here but it won’t always be here. Our entire community is very important to us. As you’ll note, with few exceptions, our updates go out simultaneously in English, French, and German. This is because we treat the community as one as much as possible. But we have some time till Spring 2011 (although it is getting closer every day!) and right now, we’re doing what is best for the service in the long-run. We could of just not announced what locales we’re testing in now but we felt it better to be upfront with our community. We also could of held back on testing altogether and not start until we can in all of the areas we’ll be launching the service but I think most of you will agree that we would lose valuable time and feedback if we did that. We’re not announcing just when yet, but we definitely plan on opening up phases of Game Testing to other countries before we launch (and not as a last minute “Open" test).

A couple quick notes/answers:

We didn’t announce that Game Testing Began today, we announced that it is underway… subtle difference but there is one.
Make sure your email address is up-to-date! This means that the account name that you use to log in to the website is the email address we will be sending an invitation to if you are selected.
For those worried about missing any of our transactional emails, make sure you add no-reply@bioware.swtor.com to your address book!
How often will we send out updates? As often as possible! It will be different time intervals for different tests.
You do not need to sign-up again if you did previously but I would recommend making sure your Additional Details and System Scan are up to date (as well as your email address)! And you can do this any time under "My Account".
What data do we track? A lot. If you read the Terms of Service and Game Testing Agreement, you will get a good idea of it all.
Since this is all part of the service, any accounts that are in a suspended status when we are sending out invitations will not be invited. As I said, it’s a total service and your account is treated the same throughout the entire service. If you are temporarily suspended, once your suspension is up, you will be eligible again for testing.
Speaking of Community – No, post count does not weigh any in the decision of who gets into testing. If community participation was a factor, it would be based on the behavior and quality of interactions with the rest of the community.

And last but not least, I’ll reiterate the point that being able to have the community help us test The Old Republic is very important and valuable to the development process. The Game Testing Program allows community members to give us quality feedback so we can make adjustments and have a highly effective service and entertaining experience when we do launch. Our expectation is that players of The Old Republic will follow the terms of the Game Testing Agreement and ensure that the confidential pre-release information we’re sharing with community members remains confidential.

This thread is now open for questions and discussion!

UPDATE:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deewe

Sean,

What are the forum rules versus posting about bata leaked footage we saw?

I mean we are all human beings, you know kids will do anything they can to access the sweets locked in the cabinet

The answer might need to be officially stated somewhere, because... it has started!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thrasymicus

Is there currently somewhere we can report leaks?

If you find one on these forums, definitely Flag (report) the post so the Community Team can quickly react to it. If you find them off-site, you can always send them to bwacommunitysupport@bioware.com or to me directly at sdahlberg@bioware.com.

SeanDahlberg

2010-07-09 11:55

News and Announcements -> Game Testing is Underway!

I'll try to answer a few questions here:

Zitat:

Zitat von SeanDahlberg

One thing to remember...

Being able to have the community help us test The Old Republic is very important and valuable to the development process. The Game Testing Program allows community members to give us quality feedback so we can make adjustments and have a highly effective service and entertaining experience when we do launch. Our expectation is that players of The Old Republic will follow the terms of the Game Testing Agreement and ensure that the confidential pre-release information we’re sharing with community members remains confidential.

Just quoting this because it cannot be said enough.

Zitat:

Zitat von Ethnine

P.S What email address will this be coming by? A new address or one of the old ones?

It will go to the email address your account is tied to (what you log into the website with). If your email address is not up to date, I GREATLY recommending going into "My Account" and updating it.

Zitat:

Zitat von IronSith

Well, there you have it folks. Beta is live; cut the whining.

You mean Game Testing

Zitat:

Zitat von canfodor

Question - if we have signed up in the past - do we need to "resign up"/update our information? Thanks!

No, if you signed up previously, you are good to go. That said, it doesn't hurt to go through and make sure all of your information is up to date.

Zitat:

Zitat von FallunLight

OH, Sean, i have another big question.

When i first set up my beta sign-up, long time ago, i was using my old crappy computer. I have a brand new one ready to go, thats as powerfula s they get.

Is it too late to change my Diag?

Never too late! Well, at least until launch, then it might be too late. But go to the Testing Portal and it'll let you update your info there, to include redoing the system scan.

Zitat:

Zitat von Dimbo

2. have the people that are the "first batch" of tested already been contacted?

We didn't announce that testing begins today, we announced that it is underway. Subtle difference but there is one

Zitat:

Zitat von Descent

Already pissing their overseas customers off by prioritising North America. Thanks Bioware.

It has nothing to do with us prioritizing North American customers. It has to do with BioWare Austin is in Austin, Texas. We have not launched our full infrastructure and connecting from Europe to North America on an in-development product will not give you the best experience. Once we have our European Infrastructure rolled out, we'll be testing there, too.

Zitat:

Zitat von Smugglez

This isn't true at all. If it was based on forums posts they would most likely end up with kids who are off school and can spam the forums all day. I actually test video games for a living 3rd party and I did not get a invite, its probably just random based on who is signed up on the forums. Randomly pick X amount and your done!

If picking testers had anything to do with community discussions, it definitely would not be based on post count. On the quality of posts is definitely a possibility and someone who's been indefinitely suspended is another one.

SeanDahlberg

2010-07-09 10:32

News and Announcements -> Game Testing is Underway!

SeanDahlberg

2010-07-09 10:31

News and Announcements -> Game Testing is Underway!

Game Testing for Star Wars™: The Old Republic™ is underway! Those selected to test will gain access to the game and be able to provide valuable feedback to help us tune particular areas of gameplay and begin the process of balancing and tweaking our content.

Game Testing is an on-going process being rolled out in several phases. These phases began with smaller, more focused tests with community members from North America, and later will expand to other territories. Users selected for the test program will be notified via email with more information on accessing the Game Testing Portal. If you’ve not been chosen yet, you may be selected in the next wave!

If you haven’t signed up already, it’s definitely not too late! If you’re not already a member of the Star Wars: The Old Republic community, click here to become one today! Be sure to check the box to indicate you are interested in becoming a tester. If you’re already a member, go to the Game Testing Portal to begin the sign up process. Note that you must be at least 18 years of age to accept the Game Tester Agreement.

Please keep in mind that there are no guarantees that you will be selected once you have completed the sign-up process. For more information about testing Star Wars: The Old Republic, take time to read the Game Testing FAQ.

We’re looking forward to your help in making Star Wars: The Old Republic a success!

BrianArndt

2010-06-19 13:30

General Discussion -> NEW Brian Arndt Q&A - Who IS that female Jedi in "Hope"?!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Juztinb

Except for those of us who keep the MM in MMO.

You can still go out and group up with your friends and have your companions out or leave them behind if you wish. There will be a lot of MM in the game for sure! Once we are ready to talk more about companions I think this will all make a little more sense. Sorry we can't say more just yet but we want to make sure this is a polished experience before we talk any more about it.

BrianArndt

2010-06-19 13:21

General Discussion -> NEW Brian Arndt Q&A - Who IS that female Jedi in "Hope"?!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kyrow

"Brian Arndt: The player ship is a lot like the Normandy from Mass Effect. Players will use it to talk with NPC’s and their companions between missions. The ship will mainly be used a storage unit, and a place to save the game."

What?!?! I think he picked the wrong person to talk to. SAVE THE GAME? In an MMO? Seriously?

Wow, lol.

Think i was a little miss-quoted on that one. The player ships are a base of operations (simliar to the Normandy in ME) where you companions will hang out and you can talk to them. It is a place to bring your friends and do a few other things that we aren't quite ready to talk about just yet! Saving is definitely not something you would do in our MMO.

As far as companions, I think the best part is that if you don't have an interest in them you don't have to take them with you. Companions, however, have their own stories that will involve you even more in the game and I think when people actually play with them it will all make a lot more sense and they will want to keep them with them!

Just wanted to clarify this with you all!

SeanDahlberg

2010-05-28 11:33

News and Announcements -> Companion Characters

Quote:

Originally Posted by Solar

Dude. I'd recommend that you try understanding the diversity implied via the Companion System. Vette isn't the only companion option for the Sith class and neither are the Companion Specialization Options limited to whatever 'class' Vette may be.

Solar is correct. As in the Companions section, each class has a completely unique set of Companions. That said, we will not be telling you about each of them right now. Some of them are surprises and might ruin the fun in learning who can and who can't be your companion. The ones we do highlight are generally the companions you will meet early on in your adventures.

And yes, Vette is indeed a companion available for the Sith Warrior.

SeanDahlberg

2010-05-28 08:01

News and Announcements -> Companion Characters

Every Star Wars™ hero needs a companion. Han has Chewie, Luke has R2-D2 — even Jabba has the cackling monkey lizard Salacious B. Crumb. These characters will compliment your strengths or weaknesses, and provide company for the epic journey you will inevitably undertake. Whether they’re combative, friendly, flirtatious, or even just good for a laugh, they always contribute to your development and serve as a sounding board for your choices. In Star Wars™: The Old Republic™, a variety of these Companion Characters will join your cause.

Learn more about Companion Characters and how they can shape and enhance your game play by visiting the Game Systems section!

RobinKhamsi

2010-05-20 23:42

General Discussion -> Character Models & Animation - Likes/dislikes (Part 4)

We're definitely paying attention! As an online media designer, I check the forums often to get a sense of what everyone likes to see in our screen shots and videos. The community team advocates for you all whenever possible because ultimately it is for you that The Old Republic is being made. Whenever you encounter a bit of info that you love or something that you're not so sure about, and you post about it here in the forums in detail, you can bet that someone here will read it.

RandyBegel

2010-05-20 15:04

General Discussion -> Graphics' Progression

To the OP: Without getting into specifics, I think I can safely say that I continue to be impressed with the new assets and polish elements our art team continues to put into TOR. I think I'm as interested in seeing the final results as the rest of you. Though, admittedly, it's a lot different being on the outside looking in.

@Chookhlo: That is hands-down the coolest ASCII (ANSI?) blaster I've seen.

DamionSchubert

2010-03-19 18:10

General Discussion -> XP gain in groups

We increase the XP pool for each group member in it, and then divide that pool. I don't have the number in front of me, but its something we'll be tweaking as we play anyway.

The general gist is that we want to reward grouping, but not so much that grouping is the only way to play the game (something that is very easy to do if you tilt the table too much, and then balance the levelling curve to that rate gain). That being said, as some have mentioned, grouping with another person increases your killing efficiency and reduces your risk of death substantially, to the degree that being in a group of two is vastly more efficient than 2X killing efficiency (this is like most MMOs). Still, you want to reward grouping enough to help ensure that you overcome the friction associated with grouping (finding groupmates, getting to them, tolerating idiots, etc).

Other notes:

Yes, we have anti-twink measures. Yes, high level players get shut out if they kill creatures too far below them. This is a fine line - you want to let high level players help their new friends, but you really don't want high level players hunting in low level areas, as that can be disruptive to the lowbies.
Yes, compared to other MMOs, we give you more XP for completing quests and less for killing creatures. These numbers will also likely be continually tweaked.
Yes, harder things give more experience.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xavior

Group of 5 level 10's killing a level 10 mob: 100 xp each
Group of 3 level 10's killing a level 10 mob: 100 xp each
Solo person of level 10 killing a level 10 mob: 100 xp

no one gets screwed, no one is forced to group and everyone is happy.

Balancing it's not that easy. Instead, you need to look at XP gain per hour. A group of 3 can kill (let's say) 5X the creatures than a solo player can in an hour, which means that if you give everyone the full XP value, grouping is 5X(!) more efficient than soloing. If you balance the curve to that, the solo player gets screwed.

In our curve, we push that towards being closer to 2-3X. Still a significant advantage, but the grouper has to deal with all of the inertia of forming a group.

SeanDahlberg

2010-01-12 10:06

News and Announcements -> Target Launch Window for The Old Republic

While we have not announced a specific date, we can confirm that we are targeting a spring 2011 release for Star Wars™: The Old Republic™. We’ve got a lot of exciting updates and reveals planned throughout 2010, including the first-ever hands-on testing for the game. It’s not too late to sign up to be a game tester, so go to www.swtor.com/tester and sign up today. We can’t wait to share more about the game with you as we progress through the year, so make sure you stay tuned to the official website for details.

AmyCrider

2009-08-19 14:06

Sith Warrior -> Sith Warrior Class

Attention Members of the Empire!

The latest class in Star Wars: The Old Republic has been announced - the Sith Warrior! Stay tuned this week for the Developer Walkthrough with a sneak peek at the Sith Warrior in action, and later the final Sith Warrior website unveiling next Friday August, 28th.

Learn more about the Sith Warrior by checking out the GameSpot Sith Warrior Q&A with Creative Director James Ohlen and Associate Lead Designer Emmanuel Lusinchi.

SeanDahlberg

2009-08-14 11:41

Surveys and Polls -> What will you do?

The situation on board the Black Talon has become critical. Citing self-preservation as his motive, the veteran captain has disobeyed a direct order to engage a Republic ship – an act of insubordination dangerously close to treason.

The clock is ticking down to an imminent attack by a Jedi boarding party. You are onboard as a representative of the Emperor. He will be very displeased if the Black Talon fails its mission and falls to the Republic.

The time has come to prove yourself to your master. What will you do?

Advise the captain that cooperation is in everyone’s best interests.
Relieve the captain of duty…with your Lightsaber!
Jedi?! Here?! That’s impossible! What have I told you about talking to strange computers?

Come back next week and see if your choice is played out in our complete Developer Walkthrough video!

SeanDahlberg

2009-05-09 19:12

Character Classes -> Droids as: [ ]Species [ ]Classes [ ]Companions

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeanDahlberg

Thread closed while I go through it. I'll open it back up when I'm done.

This thread has been reopened. I apologize for the downtime (and the time it took to reach this thread). Thank you for those of you who notified of this occuring.

I would highly recommend that everyone familiarize themselves with this thread:

http://www.swtor.com/community/http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=27383

Constructive criticism and debate is definitely welcome here. Personal insults, harassment, and not conducting yourself in a mature manner will get your privileges removed from this community and the entire service.

Sincerely,

Sean

SeanDahlberg

2009-05-05 19:21

General Discussion -> Welcome to the STAR WARS: The Old Republic Community!

Quote:

Originally Posted by AuronStarglider

Can infraction points be tracked on your visitor message page as well, or what? Just out of curiosity.

Yes, you can view your own (not other's) Infractions by going to your profile and clicking on the Infractions tab.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AuronStarglider

Also, where and what is the Community Team Procedures section mentioned at the bottom of the ROC?

Whoops! You can always just contact me either via PM or email.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vidgamer

The link to the search took me to a Yahoo search, not the TOR forum search.

Links fixed.[/url]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chargersoccer

how do you actually get started and play online?? cause i can't get started and i really wanna play

Please view the first post in this thread where I state: Currently, the game is in production and no launch date has been released.

SeanDahlberg

2009-05-02 13:38

General Discussion -> Welcome to the STAR WARS: The Old Republic Community!

Fansite Articles and Announcements
Fansite articles and announcements should be posted in the Community Creations forum. If you run a fansite, you can also place a post about it in the Fansite List thread.

Will it contribute to the discussion?
Posts should actually add something of value to the discussion. If they do not, they may be removed. This will especially occur when this is used to "necro" or "bump" a thread.

Public Discussion about Moderation
Any threads or posts discussing moderation or actions taken against an account from the TOR Community Team will be removed from the forums. These discussions should be held with the moderation team and the individual poster. Any escalated disputes with moderation should be sent to bwacommunitysupport@bioware.com.

SeanDahlberg

2009-05-02 13:38

General Discussion -> Welcome to the STAR WARS: The Old Republic Community!

From time to time, the Community Team must give a member an Infraction. This is a system that is designed to inform a member what they have done to violate the Rules of Conduct and assist them in not doing so again. Users will be notified of Infractions via the Private Messaging system.

For the first offense, a warning is usually given. While a warning does not add any Infraction Points, the warning itself will remain on your account until it expires.

Members are rarely suspended for the first few offenses unless it was something overly derogatory or offensive. That said, the more Infraction Points a member accumulates, the more severe the consequences. Having too many Infraction Points can lead to an account being fully moderated (meaning members of the Community Team must approve each of their posts), suspended for a period of time, or even permanently banned.

Most Infractions only accrue one (1) Infraction Point on their account that exists for thirty (30) days. If you receive more than one Infraction for that particular reason, they will be additive. For example, if you get an Infraction for "Spam" twice within a 30 day span, it will add 30 days to whatever was left from the original Infraction. That said, more severe Infractions add more points to your account and they take longer to expire.

If you accrue too many points, you are placed into various levels of suspension. For example, if you accrue 5 or more points within a timeframe, you will be given a 24-hour cool off period. The more points you accrue after that, the longer the timeout and, ultimately, that account will be permanently banned if the user continues to violate the rules and guidelines of this community.

If you wonder how many Infractions you have, you can view them on your account (click on your name at the top of the page) and look for the Infractions tab (you'll see About Me, Statistics, Friends, Infractions, Contact Info). If you don't see an Infractions tab, that means you don't have any!

Ultimately, the system is in place to make members aware of conduct not appropriate for this community and our goal is to make a place where community members can discuss the various aspects of The Old Republic civilly without being insulted.

SeanDahlberg

2009-05-02 13:37

General Discussion -> Welcome to the STAR WARS: The Old Republic Community!

Welcome to the Star Wars™: The Old Republic™ Community section on the official website. The Old Republic, also referred to as TOR, is a story-driven massively-multiplayer online game from BioWare and LucasArts. Currently, the game is in production and no launch date has been released. To learn more about the game, visit the Game Info and Frequently Asked Questions sections.

Here in the Community Section, you can talk to other players. We look forward to your participation and want you to enjoy your time here whether you choose to simply follow discussions or actively post. To keep the Community section fun for everyone we strive to maintain mature, constructive conversations and you to help us do the same.

When you are ready to contribute in the Community section, there are three things to consider before posting:

Will it contribute to discussions about The Old Republic? - This community has been formed around The Old Republic and most conversations should directly pertain to it.
Has it been posted before? – Simply use the Search feature and you’ll know.
Is this the right forum? – Each forum has a specific topic it is geared towards and usually has a few subforums within it to help categories topics.

You read and agreed to the Rules of Conduct when you created your account. Those are pretty detailed, so here is a basic set of guidelines:

Never insult another community member.
Always discuss the topic and give constructive criticism.
If you feel someone is violates the Rules of Conduct, do not reply to them; simply report (flag) the post.
If someone is being a troll, don’t feed them. Simply do not reply and report (flag) the post.
Do not spam or bump; you only need to post it once and there is no need to “bump” your thread for others to see.
Do not post or promote pornographic, derogatory, vulgar, or offensive content.
Do not post your Display Name in the subject of your post; your Display Name is easily seen by all as the original poster for that topic.
We disallow the discussion of political, religious, sexual topics that are not directly related to The Old Republic that are considered volatile or disruptive.
Be respectful to all community members; while you may not agree with their opinion, you should not be rude to them.

Note that violating these rules and guidelines can result in your suspension or permanent removal from these forums. This list is not exhaustive and we reserve the right to modify or remove any forum content at our discretion.

And if you’re unsure of anything, simply post here or send a private message to one of the members of the Community Team.

DanielErickson

2009-03-21 18:48

Fan Art -> "three Deadly Siths"

Was just at home and saw this. Was floored. Great stuff.

SeanDahlberg

2009-03-21 16:28

For Newcomers -> How do I play the game?

I see this question a lot so figured I'd post this here:

Star Wars™: The Old Republic™ is currently still in production and while we have released a target window of Spring 2011, we have not announced our release date yet.

Recently, we announced that our Game Testing Program is currently underway. If you wish to learn more about that, simply read this post.

To keep informed as to the status, be sure to join our newsletter. We also encourage you to visit the official website to view regularly scheduled content updates or subscribe to our Latest News RSS Feed. We also post updates on some of the social network sites; you can find pages for the The Old Republic on Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter.

SeanDahlberg

2008-10-22 11:49

For Newcomers -> Social Networks: Facebook, MySpace, etc

For those of you like me who are on social networks probably more than anything else on the web (aside from these forums, of course

), here are definitely some pages you might want to add.

Star Wars: The Old Republic on...