SWTOR (The Topic for the Game)

Link · **Posted:** Wed Dec 21, 2011 11:08 pm

I didn't want to totally derail Mike's support thread, or hijack it, so I figured since he's playing now I'd just lock it.

Anyways, for those interested in playing and/or are curious, I'm playing on Shien server as Empire. Feel free to pester me, my name's Zydel.

JediMike42 · **Joined:** Fri Apr 09, 2010 11:14 pm **Posts:** 288

Dagenzo, Cyborg Imperial Agent, Jada or something Chiss Sith Inquisitor and KoolAid-Man, Sith...Sith Warrior (and I will be macro-ing someday to make him yell "OHHHHH YEAHHHHHHHH!" whenever he force charges).

All on Terentatek (sp?).

I don't know how you folks feel, but I am captivated by this game.

Even the space combat is far more enjoyable and engaging than I expected it to be.

The writing is for the most part very strong, although I've only really gotten into it as an Imperial Agent, which one would suspect got the better treatment for the Non-Forcees.

Kinda wondering the purpose of a Guild at all at this point. No HQ yet, no Bank yet, no reason yet, far as I can tell. I'm in one and committed but it just seems like a gesture at this point.

One of the comments stressed by a friend of mine was that the graphics looked too cartoonish. I can see where that's coming from, but disagree. It looks natural. The lighting effects are solid, color is blended well character designs are typically intricate enough to dissuade any such criticism.

I think they dropped the ball a little bit with facial movement but after LA Noire I think everything feels that way.

All said buying a PC to play this was one of the soundest investments I've made in years.

Link · **Posted:** Fri Jan 13, 2012 10:59 am

I'm also playing as a character named "Valkors" on Shien on Empire...

Mr Black · **Posted:** Fri Jan 13, 2012 4:29 pm

I'm not an MMO guy at all. I don't like the idea of having to pay $60 for a game and then pay monthly to keep playing it (that and I don't have the time to commit to a deep MMO). But damn.... I really want to try the Old Republic. If any company can get me sucked into an MMO it would be Bioware.

Fandango · **Posted:** Fri Jan 13, 2012 5:00 pm

Why couldn't they have just charged for the game and then have a F2P model with golden players and silver players?

Link · **Posted:** Fri Jan 13, 2012 6:57 pm

People have dumb preconceptions about MMOs (just how I feel.) They shell out money for DLC and other crap, why not MMOs? Plus, the money is going towards server costs and to ensure that the game is constantly updated/balanced. Maybe they'll move to F2P eventually but NO big company is going to come right out of the gate with F2P, and if they did it'd probably be half-assed like WoW. F2P, at least in the MMO world, is the "omg omg omg other MMOs are destroying us in subscriptions, we have to generate more players and keep our worlds alive with life support".

Also, here's the thing you need to realize with MMOs and monthly fees. Sure, it's 15 bucks a month or whatever, but... guess what? It's a LOT cheaper than buying a new game each month. MMOs pretty much suck up 80% of your free gaming time anyways, so... in the long run you save money.

Fandango · **Posted:** Fri Jan 13, 2012 6:59 pm

Now that's a wrong preconception. DCU Online, for example, made a brilliant move by going F2P. Their userbase upped 600% and many of them buy things from the store, buy DLC and buy subs. Going free to play is a sound business strategy, especially these days. Even WoW is suffering with their business plan.

Link · **Posted:** Fri Jan 13, 2012 7:04 pm

Puddle Jumper wrote:

Now that's a wrong preconception. DCU Online, for example, made a brilliant move by going F2P. Their userbase upped 600% and many of them buy things from the store, buy DLC and buy subs. Going free to play is a sound business strategy, especially these days. Even WoW is suffering with their business plan.

Yeah, but to make your game free right off the bat... dunno, just seems like a bad idea for a "robust" game like SWTOR. You need to get everyone settled in, see if the subscription idea works or not, and then switch to F2P from there. I don't know if there are specific #s on DCU Online and what their monthly income was prior to being F2P, but if there is I'd love to see it. My thought process is this, you charge monthly, maybe you don't have a huge userbase but you get a large pile of cash right off the bat to cover your development costs, etc. Then, from there, if you feel that you're not making money or are losing a lot of subscriptions, you pull the F2P card to sucker them all back to the game (much like how they do with releasing expansion packs) and in the process get new players as well.

Fandango · **Posted:** Fri Jan 13, 2012 7:11 pm

That is what I am thinking as well. If they start out with subs, I don't mind, actually. It covers costs and it doesn't flood the servers with F2P'ers

Link · **Posted:** Sat Jan 14, 2012 3:05 am

Puddle Jumper wrote:

It covers costs and it doesn't flood the servers with F2P'ers

This as well, they have to add servers as time goes on, etc. and a lot of the subscription fees cover that. When your game "sucks" so to speak and doesn't have packed servers IE. City of Heroes, then you can make it F2P without worrying about your servers being packed and hour long waiting times to get in. They will have a good idea of what their "maximum capacity" will be and increase/decrease from there.

Starting a "popular" MMO right off the bat F2P just sounds like a logistical nightmare. The early adoption price and monthly fee is definitely enough to sort of have control over how big your initial group is and plan on server sizes based off pre-orders, etc.

Fox · **Joined:** Tue May 27, 2008 1:07 am **Posts:** 1505

City of Heroes didn't $uck. Give them credit for not putting out another fantasy MMO and look at all the games that tried to copy them. It had a great character creator and powers that were fun to use. They kept adding more content, had tons of events, and free weekends all the time. I don't think it would blow anyway away nowadays but in the pre-WoW days this was one of the best MMOs out there.

Yeah I'm hearing good stuff about SWTOR. Of course I don't have the time or money to sink into an MMO right now but if I had a decent computer I'd consider it.

If you are really not wanting to buy a subscription or play with other players then you can always get the game, solo through of the storylines, and cancel it when your time is up.

Mr Black · **Posted:** Sat Jan 14, 2012 11:08 am

You can play it solo? Hmmm... the plot thickens... I would really want to play it for the story, but it won't be for awhile. Too many other games to play from xmas.

Link · **Posted:** Sat Jan 14, 2012 7:14 pm

Mr Black wrote:

You can play it solo? Hmmm... the plot thickens... I would really want to play it for the story, but it won't be for awhile. Too many other games to play from xmas.

Yeah, the game is built for solo play believe it or not, you get tons of companions and allies, etc. to make up your party/team. It really is just about the coolest shit ever. A+ Bioware.

Fox wrote:

City of Heroes didn't $uck. Give them credit for not putting out another fantasy MMO and look at all the games that tried to copy them. It had a great character creator and powers that were fun to use. They kept adding more content, had tons of events, and free weekends all the time. I don't think it would blow anyway away nowadays but in the pre-WoW days this was one of the best MMOs out there.

I put sucks in quotes 'cuz, yeah, I entirely agree with you, but a lot of people shit talk it.

Fox · **Joined:** Tue May 27, 2008 1:07 am **Posts:** 1505

Mr Black wrote:

You can play it solo? Hmmm... the plot thickens... I would really want to play it for the story, but it won't be for awhile. Too many other games to play from xmas.

From what I hear you get several allies and you can pick what ally you want for any situation so it is almost like playing co-op even if you are soloing. You want to play a damage class, then you can bring an ally who is a tank or healer type to compliment you. You can even pull their skills into your action bar if you want to more actively control them and be a bit more tactical with your party.

Mr Black · **Posted:** Mon Jan 16, 2012 12:42 pm

Ok, you guys have sold me. I won't be getting it until probably the summer but it sounds like an A+ RPG I'd expect from Bioware especially if I can play solo and recruit companions.

Gigi · **Joined:** Sat Feb 18, 2012 8:13 am **Posts:** 1

Mr Black wrote:

You can play it solo? Hmmm... the plot thickens... I would really want to play it for the story, but it won't be for awhile. Too many other games to play from xmas.

I do wish I can play it solo. The very top priority of playing this game is being into the story. that's what defines swtor-the story which is of great importance. not that interested in pvp though. story first, everything else later

btw, is there anyone playing on the jedi\republic side??I see only sith\empire posts. come on, guys, wb the light side. wanna play a zabrak jedi sentinel wielding 2 lightstaffs(or whatever the darth maul's lightsaber's called). But no money for playing this game I have..yet

May the Force be with you, guys. and good luck

Mr Black · **Posted:** Tue Jul 31, 2012 4:02 pm

I knew this would happen eventually, but you get all 8 class stories for free? Well looks like I'll be jumping into the game this fall!

http://ca.ign.com/articles/2012/07/31/s ... ee-to-play

Kaiserhawk · **Posted:** Wed Aug 01, 2012 11:13 am

ouch.

Link · **Posted:** Tue Aug 14, 2012 10:43 am

Yeah, figured that would happen. Glad I gave them my money though, because it IS a really good game despite some of its longevity flaws.

Fandango · **Posted:** Wed Aug 15, 2012 5:07 pm

I'm on EU Tomb of Freedom Nadd and I have a Jedi named Ronack.

Also, a character named Vermaak who's a Sith. Also:

SWTOR (The Topic for the Game)

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