BioWare: 'Gray Jedi' playstyle in SWTOR will reap rewards

Do you have aspirations in Star Wars: The Old Republic of becoming a neutral Jedi like Jolee Bindo -- but the light side/dark side alignment system is getting you down? Good news: The BioWare team is hard at work creating rewards for those who toe the line between naughty and nice.

Speaking with PC Gamer, Game Director James Ohlen spilled a few more details about what he calls the "Gray Jedi" playstyle, which will be supported in an unspecified upcoming patch. Gray Jedis (or Gray Smugglers, Gray Inquisitors, etc.) happen when a player creates a balanced mix of light and dark side choices over his or her career and ends up staying in the "neutral" zone on the alignment meter. Because the game currently incentivizes strong light or dark side playstyles with specific rewards, neutral players are left out in the cold.

Fortunately, the system that's coming will cater to these dirty, filthy neutrals. "We don't want to force people," Ohlen said. "Once we get to the next stage of our light side/dark side system, you'll see the rewards. Light side, dark side and the gray items will all get more powerful."

Reader Comments (54)

Just do it, then talk about it. People will think better of you, Bioware.

@Joaquin Crowe

Have to agree with you Crowe, the Bioware PR machine is starting to alienate me. They put out a lot of hype but I'm still waiting to see more substantial follow through. James Ohlen is starting to become "that" sort of talking mouth that I don't care to listen to.

@Joaquin Crowe I kind of agree, but I wouldn't want them to not talk about their plans at all either.

@Joaquin Crowe I've lost count of how many things they are "planning" on bringing into the game. UI updates and guild functions are still being talked about as a future "plan" and those were their priorities. It's now almost been a month since early access / release has happened

@Joaquin Crowe

Indeed.

I'm still waiting on armor coloring Bioware...

Iirc this was hinted as a launch feature when asked about on the forums, but was cut from release.

This is good, now my characters will actually benefit from having a personality, rather then being generic altruists or heartless skullscrushers.

@Dril http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/3/27/ so very true. Was like this in Mass Effect also. "Do i want to release this super predator into the wild where it will repopulate and kill billions or do i murder it as horribly as possible while its still confined making the species extinct. What, let the council decide? no way!"

@Dril This is one feature that originally turned me off of buying SWTOR (I doubt I'd get it even with this change, but it's a nice change.) I like the whole good and evil aspect in games, but most of the time it's too black and white, it's chose one or the other all the time or don't get benefits. Forcing someone to go either completely dark or completely good defeats choice.

I've been wondering about this system and the current one. Maybe someone can answer me here:

I see you can get a Title for each level of Light (or Dark). Say that I got all the way to Light-side 5/max and got all the Light-side titles, could I then start going down the Dark-side path and unlock those titles to use in my name, too? Or will something happen? Anyone done this already?

@Space Cobra I have a bounty hunter, a smuggler and a jedi knight at light II and an inquisitor and warrior at dark II and neither obtained any titles.

@Lenn

Isn't there at least like a "Respectable" or "the Honorable" title for light side or how do you get that? I have seen the opposite titles (but can't remember them atm) with Dark sides. You get the title very early on and I *think* it is linked to Light/Dark-side gainage. I remember getting it after the first/second planet and it seems like w eird thing to get if it is not dark/light-side related.

@Space Cobra Just checked that. Titles at tier III and V. None at I, II and IV.

@Space Cobra You only have the titles that you currently qualify. I'm Light V with the "Pure" title - if I take even ONE Dark Side point, I drop to Light IV and lose my title.

Ah, classic Futurama. +100

@Daeths

Those Youtube videos are little treasures whose delicate balance must be preserved for the sake of neutralness.

We have no plans for Gray Jedi.
We heard you and will have items for Gray Jedi.
Okay we lied there are no Gray Jedi items in beta or release.
Okay we heard you and will have items for Gray Jedi.

Darn it BioWare EA make up your minds. ;-P

I honestly wanted to play a Gray Jedi but their current system forces you to play light or dark for most of the orange gear. So I canned my Jedi (for other reasons but that was on the list) and now rock the Trooper which is actually a blast to play (Combat Medic).

Honestly Gray is a bit more natural, not everyone is 100% light or dark, sometimes you want to save the kitten and other times you want to kick that puppy.

@Unshra If by "most" you mean "a vague handful." The vast majority of orange items have no alignment restriction on them at all.

"Fortunately, the system that's coming will cater to these dirty, filthy neutrals. "We don't want to force people," Ohlen said. So...we're getting the bisexual romance options soon then too?

@Silverangel
I can't speak to "soon", but it is happening. Same-gender relationships are set to be in a future patch.

Early on after the game was announced, I remember the design plan was to promote gray, as it meant you would make less enemies or something. Wish I could find the article still.

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BioWare: 'Gray Jedi' playstyle in SWTOR will reap rewards

Reader Comments (54)

Posted: Jan 11th 2012 3:39PM Joaquin Crowe said

Posted: Jan 11th 2012 4:23PM Celtar said

Posted: Jan 11th 2012 5:11PM NothingShocking said

Posted: Jan 11th 2012 6:24PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jan 11th 2012 9:16PM kalipou134 said

Posted: Jan 11th 2012 3:40PM Dril said

Posted: Jan 11th 2012 3:48PM Daeths said

Posted: Jan 11th 2012 5:19PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jan 11th 2012 3:44PM Space Cobra said

Posted: Jan 11th 2012 3:58PM Lenn said

Posted: Jan 11th 2012 4:04PM Space Cobra said

Posted: Jan 11th 2012 4:11PM Lenn said

Posted: Jan 11th 2012 4:25PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jan 11th 2012 3:45PM Daeths said

Posted: Jan 11th 2012 4:57PM Gaugamela said

Posted: Jan 11th 2012 3:59PM Unshra said

Posted: Jan 11th 2012 4:28PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jan 11th 2012 4:10PM Silverangel said

Posted: Jan 11th 2012 7:21PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jan 11th 2012 4:17PM KvanCetre said

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