official Star Wars: The Old Republic

[treemonster]

they've been able to keep a pretty good tight lid on it. doesn't seem to be any videos from players in the beta on youtube the last few times i checked, which is pretty typical despite NDAs. once in a while you someone claiming to be in the beta but their claims are dubious and varied at best.

[Chaltalian]

they've been able to keep a pretty good tight lid on it. doesn't seem to be any videos from players in the beta on youtube the last few times i checked, which is pretty typical despite NDAs. once in a while you someone claiming to be in the beta but their claims are dubious and varied at best.

There is literally no talk of the beta on the forums either.

I found some screenshots on Gamespot that I thought were pretty nice. What do you guys think?

1. For this screenshot, I'm looking more at the architecture and statues of the Jedi Temple in the background. It all looks really well done.

2. I actually feel more bad for the Sarlacc than the Sandcrawler! :laugh:

3. Now I know that when I see the Sarlacc in the game, stay as far away as possible!

4. The Trooper's armor also looks great! Once again, I think I might want to become a Trooper... lol

5. I'm going to explore ALL OVER Coruscant, because this just looks AMAZING! Look at the Jedi Temple in back!

6. Not sure what this place is, but I really can't wait to check it out!

7. Lovin' the armor!

Let me know what you guys think of the screenshots. Shoot some ratings out! Which one is your favorite? :D

My favorites are #1 and #6. Coruscant is lookin' great!

[treemonster]

this may seem strange, but i really want realsitic cloth for the jedi robes. i don't want those old ktoro robes wit the split in the middle that's stuck to your jedi's legs. i know realstic cloth can be done even without phsyx, but bioware seems to use software physx in some of their recent games on pc. it's a minor detail but it does a lot to make my star wars related nerdgasm that much more intense instead of rolling my eyes at the 2002 graphics.

[Chaltalian]

this may seem strange, but i really want realsitic cloth for the jedi robes. i don't want those old ktoro robes wit the split in the middle that's stuck to your jedi's legs. i know realstic cloth can be done even without phsyx, but bioware seems to use software physx in some of their recent games on pc. it's a minor detail but it does a lot to make my star wars related nerdgasm that much more intense instead of rolling my eyes at the 2002 graphics.

I know what you mean. That's an old screenshot, so it might've changed since then. Who knows!

This is the most recent screenshot they had with a Jedi wearing his cloak. It actually doesn't look too bad.

http://www.swtor.com/media/screens/miraluka-1

The cape here also doesn't look too bad.

http://www.swtor.com/media/screens/terentatek

What do you think?

[treemonster]

second screenshot looks promising for sure. but i won't get my hopes up until i see it in action. wow style robes and how they move would be an improvement over kotor, but still not good enough for me.

[Chaltalian]

Maybe by the time of the game's release, they'll have advanced graphics settings and you'll be able to enhance to detail of clothes? Can they do that?

[Billus]

You'd hope they'd upgrade them graphics and animations. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic called and they want their graphics back.

[Valerus]

I have decently high hopes for this one. May it be the first MMO I've actually stuck with!

[Yusuf M. Veteran]

You'd hope they'd upgrade them graphics and animations. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic called and they want their graphics back.

It's possible that the graphics will look even better once the game is released. Since it's a MMO game, there's a limit to the amount of detail they can add. As for KOTOR or KOTOR 2, it looks noticeably better.

[jerzdawg]

Ive never been able to get into a MMO but after watching those 2 trailers its tough to not get excited. Might be time to start putting together a new PC

[treemonster]

people looking at these screens and saying it's ugly, i'm not sure what you're comparing to. side by side with games that people play only because they're pretty that i've played, those character models and skins are gorgeous and have great art direction.

as for comparing to kotor, have you played kotor recently? i mean seriously what looked great in 02 looks butt ugly compared to wow in 05.

[Emn1ty]

people looking at these screens and saying it's ugly, i'm not sure what you're comparing to. side by side with games that people play only because they're pretty that i've played, those character models and skins are gorgeous and have great art direction.

as for comparing to kotor, have you played kotor recently? i mean seriously what looked great in 02 looks butt ugly compared to wow in 05.

While it looks nice, I'm pretty sure a lot of Star Wars fans haven't enjoyed the playfulness the universe has adopted in the last decade. It has ceased to be serious, epic sci-fi action and has become more comedic and one-liner heavy. This game reflects that, especially with the art style that is similar to attack of the clones. I really enjoyed games like The Force Unleashed, KOTOR and the Jedi Knight games specifically because they were very serious in the way they presented themselves. This game, as awesome as the mechanics are, really puts me off with its approach to artistic design. While the argument may be that the cartoonish look is easier to update and a more resilient art style when it comes to dated graphics in the end the visual style of the game is whatever it was made to be (outdated or not). Hell, some people even become attached to that outdated quality such as I have to the static isometric views in older RTS's as opposed to the free movement in newer ones.

All in all, I just think the artistic style of this game doesn't reflect Star Wars, or even the cinematic trailers they released for the game.

[+Mirumir Subscriber¹]

Is there a healer class? :D

[Chaltalian]

There is an awesome Friday Update this week on their website. :D

Here: Studio Insider – Starship Creation

Let me know what you guys think! :)

[Kirkburn]

2. I actually feel more bad for the Sarlacc than the Sandcrawler! :laugh:

3. Now I know that when I see the Sarlacc in the game, stay as far away as possible!

Uh, aren't these paintings? Or at least, painted-over scenery? Concept art, basically.

If they're not, that's a really good job.

Anyway, personal opinion is that the game is looking great regardless.

[stephen_0002]

good friday update! I'm a lil dissappointed just cuz i was hoping to be picked for the beta, wished for an open beta but obviously BW are a closed door unit.

[Chaltalian]

Uh, aren't these paintings? Or at least, painted-over scenery? Concept art, basically.

If they're not, that's a really good job.

Anyway, personal opinion is that the game is looking great regardless.

I think they're in game. I'm not 100% sure though.

good friday update! I'm a lil dissappointed just cuz i was hoping to be picked for the beta, wished for an open beta but obviously BW are a closed door unit.

There is still a chance you can get in. :)

[stephen_0002]

There is still a chance you can get in. :)

yeah I'm hoping> crosses fingers.

[Chaltalian]

yeah I'm hoping> crosses fingers.

When you made an account, did you sign up to the newsletter?

[treemonster]

i'm pretty sure i did. i get an email from them once in a while when they make a new video and not much else. but the other updates are condensed into the email.

by new videos i mean the cgi ones or class videos. not the dev commentaries they put up on youtube every so often.

i really wouldn't worry about getting into beta at this stage. it's pretty early so it probably doesn't resemble what we'll as early as what passes as closed beta these days, ie when keys start hitting fan sites and gaming sites. more often then not people who go into these things expecting a free trial are overwhlemed by the kind off focus testing that goes on in them and end up hating the game early on.

i expect that the current beta group is pretty small and doing alot of mundane testing on certain areas, rather than having the kind of fun that any mmo launch or OB brings. but every company does things differently.

six months ago i was honestly expecting we'd be close to a spring launch by now, but realistically i can see closed betas starting in late summer for a fall launch at this point. then again they might go for a xmas launch too.

[stephen_0002]

When you made an account, did you sign up to the newsletter?

I made my account back in September 2009 and I definatley signed up for the Newsletter

[Chaltalian]

I made my account back in September 2009 and I definatley signed up for the Newsletter

Oh wow so you've had the account for a while. I just recently made my account and I haven't got any newsletters yet. How are the newsletters?

[Eric Veteran]

Oh wow so you've had the account for a while. I just recently made my account and I haven't got any newsletters yet. How are the newsletters?

The ones I've gotten were pretty typical "here's some new stuff from the game" fare. I think these are the articles they e-mail.

[mattmatik]

I can't wait for this. I really hope it takes off and becomes something great...the Star Wars universe is perfect for an MMO, in my opinion. Just needs to be done right. I think I'll do Jedi Knight Sentinel and probably a Smuggler. Love the dual wielding light saber.

[stephen_0002]

The newsletters are so-so ... they only put in info that gets outsourced to IGN or 1-up anyway... They have screenshots and new trailer vids, some good interviews. It's typical newletters