Bioware Austin.. damm more Dragons.. or Lightsabers?

[schild]

The caption?

"The fights are thrillingly cinematic."

Heh.

Edit: They have a fanfiction forum!

[Venkman]

IGN jumped the gun (they're not even inside the theater yet), here it is:
http://pc.ign.com/articles/922/922115p1.html

Four pages to sum up:

"Unfortunately, BioWare's not yet willing to discuss the specifics of combat, exploration or character progression"

 

[Venkman]

Not sure what to think of the graphics yet. They're definitely trying for WAR-like lo-fi with brighter colors (and more interesting environments). Have we confirmed this is a PC title at all?

[Soln]

huh -- PvP as RvR??  see http://www.swtor.com/ for "Choose a side: Sith Empire or Galactic Republic"

Play Star Wars™: The Old Republic™ and forge your own Star Wars™ saga in a story-driven massively-multiplayer online game from BioWare and LucasArts. Explore an age thousands of years before the rise of Darth Vader when war between the Old Republic and the Sith Empire divides the galaxy.

Choose to be a Jedi, a Sith, or from a variety of other classic Star Wars roles, and make decisions which define your personal story and determine your path down the light or dark side of the Force. Along the way you will befriend courageous companions who will fight at your side or possibly betray you based on your actions. Together, you will battle enemies in dynamic Star Wars combat and team up with other players to overcome incredible challenges.

[Montague]

Hmmm. Story-based MMO with different content for each class. Tortage on steroids? (Stim-packs?)

[schild]

Hmmm. Story-based MMO with different content for each class. Tortage on steroids? (Stim-packs?)

Guaranteed to be scaled back or watered down or recycled. That's just a silly promise to make.

[Montague]

huh -- PvP as RvR??  see http://www.swtor.com/ for "Choose a side: Sith Empire or Galactic Republic"

Play Star Wars™: The Old Republic™ and forge your own Star Wars™ saga in a story-driven massively-multiplayer online game from BioWare and LucasArts. Explore an age thousands of years before the rise of Darth Vader when war between the Old Republic and the Sith Empire divides the galaxy.

Choose to be a Jedi, a Sith, or from a variety of other classic Star Wars roles, and make decisions which define your personal story and determine your path down the light or dark side of the Force. Along the way you will befriend courageous companions who will fight at your side or possibly betray you based on your actions. Together, you will battle enemies in dynamic Star Wars combat and team up with other players to overcome incredible challenges.

I guess RVR PVP is the exact term the guy used 

[Soln]

from live blog:

2:25 Scooter:  Greg is dropping mad MMO acronyms like RVR PVP etc
 
2:26 Scooter:  But he's talking about a game for KOTOR fans who don't play MMOs

 
 

[Venkman]

Did someone already create the SOE automated response generator? Probably something like "We appreciate and respect blah blah blah their game and our game different communities and player motivations..." ;-)

Back to graphics, those would appear to be inworld shots given that the game is playable. Come to think of it, it does bear some resemblance to the new Cartoon Network series.

Long and short: everything we guessed a Bioware KOTOR MMO would be: heavily story-based, set in a good time period, much more traditional RPG (so therefore probably diku), basically the SW MMO that hindsight dictates should have launched.

Gameplay is reading a bit like Guild Wars. Even IGN mentioned companions (NPC sidekicks). And the idea of separate AoC-like origin stories with periods of multiplayer goodness seems very Bioware-ish.

As to RvR PvP? Yea right. I'll believe that only when it's actually playable.

[Montague]

from live blog:

2:25 Scooter:  Greg is dropping mad MMO acronyms like RVR PVP etc
 
2:26 Scooter:  But he's talking about a game for KOTOR fans who don't play MMOs

 
 

I foresee no server population problems at all with the Dark Side vs. Light side.

[Kirth]

A single player game where you occasionally interact with other players? is'nt that called WoW ?  

[Kirth]

I foresee no server population problems at all with the Dark Side vs. Light side.

Nerf witches of dathomar.

[Venkman]

A single player game where you occasionally interact with other players? is'nt that called WoW ?  

Is that a bad thing? 

[Mrbloodworth]

Classes.

"I feel a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror, and were suddenly silenced."

[Venkman]

Again, is that a bad thing?

You don't do experimental quasi-skills based or other inventive methods on big IP.

Also, 1up liveblog answered my earlier question:

Scooter:  AHA, he just talks about how the art is designed to run across ALL range of PCs

[schild]

"Running on everything" is pretty much the excuse for bland art. It's a pretty great one ever since WoW.

Still, total BS.

[Mrbloodworth]

Scooter:  there will be PvP, raids, etc.

"I feel a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror, and were suddenly silenced."

[Soln]

http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/starwarstheoldrepublic/video/6199708

interviews.  "We're NOT going into details about schedule..."

[Kirth]

"Running on everything" is pretty much the excuse for bland art. It's a pretty great one ever since WoW.

Still, total BS.

Its Stylized!!!

[Simond]

Again, is that a bad thing?

You don't do experimental quasi-skills based or other inventive methods on big IP.

Unless you're SOE/Raph Koster/retarded.

[Zane0]

"Story-based MMO" is stupid and doesn't make any sense. It isn't leveraging the medium in any way -- it's trying to cash in. Bioware doesn't write a good story in any case. I anticipate a lot of face-palming with every new announcement.

Sigh.

Still excited, of course.

[Mrbloodworth]

"Running on everything" is pretty much the excuse for bland art. It's a pretty great one ever since WoW.

Still, total BS.

Its Stylized!!!

Bland art != Stylized.

[Venkman]

Again, is that a bad thing?

You don't do experimental quasi-skills based or other inventive methods on big IP.

Unless you're SOE/Raph Koster/retarded.

Actually, that is the reason you don't do it. But it took them trying to prove it. Ends and means and whatnot.

2:46 Scooter:  "what about the future of SWG?"
2:46 Scooter:  "today we're talking about old republic"

[Mrbloodworth]

Again, is that a bad thing?

You don't do experimental quasi-skills based or other inventive methods on big IP.

Unless you're SOE/Raph Koster/retarded.

Some people enjoyed that version ya know.

[Lantyssa]

Ugly as balls.

Everyone said the same about WoW.  I'm not sure alpha shots and not seeing it in play is a good time to judge.

To be fair it's not Guild Wars doing more with less, and I can deal with lesser graphics if it's a good game and they focus as much on story as they were saying.

[Ingmar]

Bioware doesn't write a good story in any case.

What the fuck? Seriously.

[Simond]

Again, is that a bad thing?

You don't do experimental quasi-skills based or other inventive methods on big IP.

Unless you're SOE/Raph Koster/retarded.

Some people enjoyed that version ya know.

SWG would have been perfectly fine as "Generic worldy sci-fi mmog". It sucked as a Star Wars game.

[schild]

Everyone said the same about WoW.

I still say it about WoW.

I'm sure this will sell gangbusters also.

[schild]

Bioware doesn't write a good story in any case.

What the fuck? Seriously.

To be fair, the last time they wrote a good story was when Black Isle was still around.

[Tige]

Some people enjoyed that version ya know.

That include the HAM bar as well?

[Sjofn]

We're all going to be orphans with MYSTERIOUS PASTS.

It's like every server is a RP server!

[Mrbloodworth]

Again, is that a bad thing?

You don't do experimental quasi-skills based or other inventive methods on big IP.

Unless you're SOE/Raph Koster/retarded.

Some people enjoyed that version ya know.

SWG would have been perfectly fine as "Generic worldy sci-fi mmog". It sucked as a Star Wars game.

I, and many others i am sure, would disagree. But we have had this conversation. Needless to say, i am disappointed that we have yet another Diku/wow/etc.. to look forward to.

Some people enjoyed that version ya know.

That include the HAM bar as well?

Yes.

[Soln]

Discussions about SWG are like family quarrels.  Can't we all just say grace and enjoy our freshly baked new turkey?

[Mrbloodworth]

Discussions about SWG are like family quarrels.  Can't we all just say grace and enjoy our freshly baked new turkey?

Yep. Grace.

[SnakeCharmer]

Bleh.