SWTOR

[Sky]

Wokiees are from Lichtenstein.

Part of an Imperial relocation program from Endor.

[Lantyssa]

There are only a few million of them left. That's like making an MMORPG of the modern world and making the playable factions the US, Europe, China, and Lichtenstein.

I would totally play a Lichtensteinerin in the game of Earth!

[Stabs]

How dare you summarily divide Europe? We stand solid with our Liechtensteiner comrades in all foreign policy matters!

[Ashamanchill]

There are only a few million of them left. That's like making an MMORPG of the modern world and making the playable factions the US, Europe, China, and Lichtenstein.

Is it bad that when I read this, I was trying to think of what their different racial abilities would be? 

I bet Lichtenstein's would be over powered.

[Reg]

Everybody is going to want to play a Lichtensteiner obviously. And equally obviously We Just Can't Have That!

We must diligently search for a way to prevent this, preferably one which involves weeks or months worth of tedious grinding.

[Daeven]

Everybody is going to want to play a Lichtensteiner obviously. And equally obviously We Just Can't Have That!

We must diligently search for a way to prevent this, preferably one which involves weeks or months worth of tedious grinding.

Require Lederhosen and funny hats all all times.  Anyone that  points out that Lederhosen and funny hats are not unique to Lichenstein will be banned.

[Lantyssa]

I have to wear a drindl all the time?  Heck yeah!  Now I'm psyched.  When does it come out?

[UnSub]

In all seriousness a Mass Effect MMO could rock. Basically just port the classes over, noone is a spectre.

Keep the shooter combat and the RPG backbone and you're good to go. Everyone would have to have a ship. Oh, and make it possible to play Turians, Aasari (sp?), Krogan, errr.....the scientist guys (I forget their name...) and the species that Thane is.

Mass Effect only works because it is a single player title. Undiscovered planets / resources would be non-existent about 1.5 weeks after launch unless either things were heavily instanced (STO) or slowly renewable with long travel (EvE).

And besides, being a Spectre was the point - where you could do what you wanted, go where you wanted and see minimal consequences. It'd be like launching a Star Wars title and not letting players be Jedi.

[tmp]

It'd be like launching a Star Wars title and not letting players be Jedi.

[Velorath]

In all seriousness a Mass Effect MMO could rock. Basically just port the classes over, noone is a spectre.

Keep the shooter combat and the RPG backbone and you're good to go. Everyone would have to have a ship. Oh, and make it possible to play Turians, Aasari (sp?), Krogan, errr.....the scientist guys (I forget their name...) and the species that Thane is.

Mass Effect only works because it is a single player title. Undiscovered planets / resources would be non-existent about 1.5 weeks after launch unless either things were heavily instanced (STO) or slowly renewable with long travel (EvE).

And besides, being a Spectre was the point - where you could do what you wanted, go where you wanted and see minimal consequences. It'd be like launching a Star Wars title and not letting players be Jedi.

Because planet exploration and resources are often cited as the high points of the Mass Effect franchise.

Also, being a Spectre was only a major point of the first game, and seems to mean a lot less outside of Council space.

[Paelos]

It'd be like launching a Star Wars title and not letting players be Jedi.

I think we should punch him for good measure.

[Kageru]

Mass Effect would be better as a MMO foundation because its magic is much more restrained and widespread (though still a balance nightmare) and there's no suggestion the universe is split into a couple of thousand "uber jedi dudes!" and cannon-fodder. And the star wars grognards are free to believe that's not how the mainstream is going to approach the title, it is just they will be wrong. 

A spectre would be the equivalent but that's just a highly trained agent with good gear.

Even better a Mass Effect MMO wouldn't have George Lucas involved and such insane expectations as this title labors under.

[DraconianOne]

There are only a few million of them left. That's like making an MMORPG of the modern world and making the playable factions the US, Europe, China, and Lichtenstein.

I would totally play a Lichtensteinerin in the game of Earth!

I've seen this game. The graphics are rubbish.

[Sheepherder]

Well, I can't argue with that.

[UnSub]

Because planet exploration and resources are often cited as the high points of the Mass Effect franchise.

I agree that they weren't. However, they served as substantial time filler and were required for the 'good' ending in ME2. Apart from that there was shooting stuff and simple mini-games. If there was a Mass Effect MMO, there would be something similar that players would be required to do for resource collection.

My broader point was that Mass Effect benefits from being in a fixed universe that only one player influences. A Mass Effect MMO loses that benefit.

[Reg]

Well you could say that about any single player game versus an MMO.  It's not specific to Mass Effect.

[Lantyssa]

SimCitadelShopkeep would be awesome.  Unfortunately I doubt we're going to see a sandbox for most major IPs, and a more traditional MMO isn't suitable for a decent product either.

[Sky]

Most major IPs will be functionally identical to WoW.

[Lantyssa]

They'll try, and fail.  WoW has the great advantage of being able to make silly quests and ignore half of its own lore.  Most other IPs are taken far more seriously by both fans and creators.  Theoretically that means it could make for an awesome world, but in practice means it's going to hamstring the dev team.

[Reg]

Mass Effect had its share of funny/silly quests. More so than any Star Wars game I can think of anyway.  And in the case of Mass Effect they were actually humorous rather than just yawnworthy pop-culture references.

[Sky]

What I find funny is that Mass Effect as a 'major IP' is just a way Bioware came up with to make another KotOR without the shackles of Lucas the Hutt. That it would shackle an mmo would be ironic.

[Rendakor]

They did the same thing with Dragon Age, to get away from WotC.

[Stormwaltz]

SimCitadelShopkeep would be awesome.

You might have to settle for a Refund Guy minigame.

[Lantyssa]

Give me SimBeruCitadelShopkeep, or give me death!

[Ingmar]

I'm Commander Shepherd, and this is my favorite ERP brothel on the Citadel.

[Paelos]

I want to roleplay a Keeper.

[Lucas]

 

I want to roleplay a Keeper.

Imagine the possibilities!

Oh wait.

[Shrike]

I want to roleplay a Keeper.

Imagine the possibilities!

Oh wait.

Oh, I don't know....

Keeper #20 seems to be up to something nefarious. Still, you'd best like RPing poker faces and looking like furniture.

[tmp]

Playing Keeper could be glorious if player housing was in.

Imagine being able to enter anyone's place at anytime and re-arrange their stuff in whatever way you please. Or just standing there while they're trying to unmask a quarian.

[Stormwaltz]

Imagine being able to enter anyone's place at anytime and re-arrange their stuff in whatever way you please.

That might be a deadly skill in DCU.

(I have no idea how I remember these things.)

[Lucas]

Today, Bioware Austin will officially reveal two more game systems: PVP Warzones and Crafting. Website Darth Hater already put up a detailed article based on the Electronic Arts Winter Showcase in London which took place yesterday.

http://darthhater.com/2010/11/05/swtor-pvp-warzones-crafting-revealed/page/1

Sounds promising.

[eldaec]

The pvp is the predictable sport-pvp battleground concept.

Crafting appears to be a surprisingly sensible design based on managing your crew who do the actual watching of progress bars offline.

[ghost]

The pvp is the predictable sport-pvp battleground concept.

This is much better than trying to do some elaborate world based PvP and royally fucking it up. 

[Lucas]

- Warzone video on the official site:

http://www.swtor.com/news/news-article/20101105

- Another summary about Warzones and Crafting on Gamespot UK (video interview inside).

- As you might know, one of the advanced class names for the Jedi Consular will be "Jedi Wizard": looks like Bioware Austin decided to change that name, so they are  asking the community to vote (options are: Jedi Sage, Jedi Adept, Jedi Seer or keep the current denomination).

http://www.swtor.com/news/news-article/20101105-0

[Paelos]

Jedi Seer is the least offensive but most appropriate.