Massively http://massively.joystiq.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Star Wars: The Old Republic, a cautionary tale of breaking into MMOs]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/20/star-wars-the-old-republic-a-cautionary-tale-of-breaking-into/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/20/star-wars-the-old-republic-a-cautionary-tale-of-breaking-into/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/20/star-wars-the-old-republic-a-cautionary-tale-of-breaking-into/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Star Wars The Old Republic a cautionary tale of breaking into MMOs
From a player's perspective, Star Wars: The Old Republic exceeded expectations on its launch one year ago today. Fans really took to the story content, reporting that the story content was the most fun they'd had leveling in any MMO up to that point. Things were looking great. The designers were obviously proud, and sales neared the two million mark, surpassing all previous MMOs for box sales at launch. Even before the official launch of the game, BioWare had to add new servers because of the number of people in early access. The day before the official launch, some queue times were over two hours, and at that time, there were 140 servers. Life was insane at BioWare to say the least.

Continue reading Star Wars: The Old Republic, a cautionary tale of breaking into MMOs

MassivelyStar Wars: The Old Republic, a cautionary tale of breaking into MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 20 Dec 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anniversarybiowaredaniel-ericksoneaelectronic-artsfeaturedgabe-amatangelogreg-zeschuklucasartsopinionray-muzykaRetrospectivesci-fistar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-old-republictorThu, 20 Dec 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hyperspace Beacon: Why do I still play SWTOR?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/16/hyperspace-beacon-why-do-i-still-play-swtor/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/16/hyperspace-beacon-why-do-i-still-play-swtor/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/16/hyperspace-beacon-why-do-i-still-play-swtor/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Hyperspace Beacon Why do I still play SWTOR
Given how many people have quit Star Wars: The Old Republic and how many of those people still follow me in other media, I should really not be surprised at the number of people who ask, "Why do you still play SWTOR?" Usually, that question is followed by some snide remark about how the game sucks and will close down in less than a year, so I don't answer. However, I know there are some people who after reading my latest article about Damion Schubert have been legitimately concerned about playing SWTOR and legitimately wonder why anyone still plays the game.

Several months ago, I talked about the three major reasons I play SWTOR: Star Wars, BioWare, and MMOs. Interestingly, those three major components have been called into question within the last couple of months. Beyond them, are there any other compelling reasons to keep playing? And is there anything that will stop me from playing?

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Why do I still play SWTOR?

MassivelyHyperspace Beacon: Why do I still play SWTOR? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 16 Oct 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alexander-freedbiowaredamion-schubertdaniel-ericksoneaelectronic-artsfeaturedgreg-zeschukHall-Hoodhyperspace-beaconlucasartsopinionray-muzykasci-fistar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicStephen-Reidswtorthe-old-republictorwhy-i-playTue, 16 Oct 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Daniel Erickson leaves BioWare]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/03/daniel-erickson-leaves-bioware/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/03/daniel-erickson-leaves-bioware/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/03/daniel-erickson-leaves-bioware/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

daniel erickson leaves bioware thank the tipster
A few weeks ago Star Wars: The Old Republic's lead designer, Daniel Erickson, sparked some rumors by adding the phrase "actively looking for new opportunities" to his LinkedIn profile. A tweet today made his split with the company official, bringing seven years of being at BioWare to a close.

Erickson joins former executive producer Rich Vogel and BioWare founders Dr. Ray Muzyka and Dr. Greg Zeschuk as big names leaving the company in the last handful of months. Of course, that's just people leaving voluntarily -- the company saw substantial layoffs in summer due to refining and restructuring.

[Thanks to alert reader Jay for the tip.]

MassivelyDaniel Erickson leaves BioWare originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 03 Oct 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowaredaniel-ericksoneaelectronic-artsgreg-zeschuklucasartsray-muzykarich-vogelsci-fistar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicsubsubscription-feeswtorthe-old-republictorWed, 03 Oct 2012 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[SWTOR's Daniel Erickson 'actively looking for new opportunities']]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/11/swtors-daniel-erickson-actively-looking-for-new-opportunities/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/11/swtors-daniel-erickson-actively-looking-for-new-opportunities/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/11/swtors-daniel-erickson-actively-looking-for-new-opportunities/#commentsFiled under: , ,

SWTOR's Daniel Erickson is 'actively looking for new opportunities'
Is Star Wars: The Old Republic's lead designer and creative director looking to move on from the studio? This is the question that comes from reading Daniel Erickson's LinkedIn profile, in which he includes the phrase "actively looking for new opportunities" in his header.

Erickson has been with BioWare for well over seven years at this point.

We're cautious about deducing too much from a single blurb on LinkedIn, but then again, he puts it right up front and center. What do you think: Is Erickson looking to move on from BioWare, and if so, what impact will this have on SWTOR?

[Thanks to Soeren for the tip!]

MassivelySWTOR's Daniel Erickson 'actively looking for new opportunities' originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 11 Sep 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarecreative-directordaniel-ericksoneaelectronic-artslead-designerlinkedinlucasartssci-fistar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicsubsubscription-feeswtorthe-old-republictorTue, 11 Sep 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Sorting through the SWTOR server transfer mess]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/06/14/sorting-through-the-swtor-server-transfer-mess/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/06/14/sorting-through-the-swtor-server-transfer-mess/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/06/14/sorting-through-the-swtor-server-transfer-mess/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

SWTOR server upheaval
Yesterday, Star Wars: The Old Republic began its second wave of server transfers. The process started normally without too much issue: Small, nearly empty servers were given the opportunity to transfer to larger, more-populated servers.

Then about noon EDT, many well-populated servers were given the opportunity to move. Communities on PvP servers like The Swiftsure were asked to go to The Bastion. According to TORStatus.net, The Swiftsure's population out-ranked The Bastion's by several points. This was not the only case of the confusion in the population. Lord Adraas, arguably the largest roleplay community in the US, was asked to move to an equally populated server The Ebon Hawk.

Continue reading Sorting through the SWTOR server transfer mess

MassivelySorting through the SWTOR server transfer mess originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 14 Jun 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bastionBioWaredaniel-ericksonEAEbon-HawkElectronic-Artslord-adraasLucasArtsroleplayersserver-mergesserver-transfersStar-Warsstar-wars-the-old-republicswiftsureSWTORswtor-rpthe-bastionthe-Ebon-Hawkthe-old-republicThe-SwiftsureTORTORstatusTORstatus.netVlayueThu, 14 Jun 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[E3 2012: SWTOR's Allies patch aims to give back to the players]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/06/06/e3-2012-swtors-allies-patch-aims-to-give-back-to-the-players/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/06/06/e3-2012-swtors-allies-patch-aims-to-give-back-to-the-players/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/06/06/e3-2012-swtors-allies-patch-aims-to-give-back-to-the-players/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

SWTOR's Allies Patch Prepared to Give Back a Ton
BioWare's booth at this year's E3 provided to MMO gamers one of the most interesting reveals yet. The crew ushered us into a small room, complete with a gigantic LED screen and fast computers (i7 chips, no doubt) that demonstrated the latest Star Wars: The Old Republic patch. The brief video presentation laid out for all of us what's to be coming soon for SWTOR hardcore players as well as for those who are interested about the game but haven't yet picked it up.

Continue reading E3 2012: SWTOR's Allies patch aims to give back to the players

MassivelyE3 2012: SWTOR's Allies patch aims to give back to the players originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 06 Jun 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowareconconventionconvention-coveragedaniel-ericksone3e3-2012eaelectronic-artselectronic-entertainment-expoexpofeaturedinterviewinterviewslucasartspatchpatchespreviewpreviewssci-fistar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicsubsubscription-feeswtorthe-old-republictorWed, 06 Jun 2012 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Hyperspace Beacon: SWTOR's group finder and server transfers]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/06/05/hyperspace-beacon-on-group-finders-and-server-transfers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/06/05/hyperspace-beacon-on-group-finders-and-server-transfers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/06/05/hyperspace-beacon-on-group-finders-and-server-transfers/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Hyperspace Beacon: On group finder and server transfers
Update 1.3 for Star Wars: The Old Republic is nearly upon us. Developers at BioWare hope that this update gives players a better sense of community. In other words, some server populations are really low, and it sucks to play on them. Update 1.3 hopes to diminish that feeling of loneliness with the two biggest features in 1.3: the group finder and server transfers.

Game launches vary in scale and scope. SWTOR's launch was huge! Over two million copies of the game were sold, and over 150 servers spun up the first week. That made some of features you'd find in older MMOs redundant. Group finders and server transfers are really not necessary when you have everything that you need at your fingertips.

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: SWTOR's group finder and server transfers

MassivelyHyperspace Beacon: SWTOR's group finder and server transfers originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 05 Jun 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowaredaniel-ericksondc-universedc-universe-onlinedcuodungeon-findereaelectronic-artsemmanuel-lusinchifeaturedgroup-finderhyperspace-beaconinstance-finderJames-Ohenlucasartsopinionsci-fiserver-transfersstar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicsuperherosuperheroesswtorthe-old-republictorupdate-1.3Tue, 05 Jun 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hyperspace Beacon: PR nightmare]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/29/hyperspace-beacon-pr-nightmare/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/29/hyperspace-beacon-pr-nightmare/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/29/hyperspace-beacon-pr-nightmare/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Hyperspace Beacon: PR nightmare
It's my sincerest hope that we never again have a news week like we did last week. Every mistake that could be made in MMO development was made this past week.

Obviously, the biggest news revolved around the 38 Studios fiasco. Perhaps it's hard when you're in the midst of a development cycle and concentrating on deadlines and milestones to see the larger picture and the proverbial writing on the wall. It should have been obvious to the developers behind the scenes the project was doomed, but I say that with 20/20 hindsight.

Of course, Star Wars: The Old Republic won't be outdone by 38 Studios. BioWare had to flood the feeds with its own bad news in the form of layoffs. Then almost in the same breath, it announced that the game will be merging servers. I guess SWTOR couldn't be outdone by itself, either. It had to add insult to its own injury. Although the timing of the layoffs was a bit surprising, those of us observing from the outside could see the server merges coming.

The stories in Star Wars aren't just about good conquering evil, but they are also about redemption and good coming out of a bad situation. The tragedy of Luke's aunt and uncle being killed was the catalyst that started his journey to becoming a great hero and Jedi Knight. Darth Vader was ultimately redeemed when he killed the emperor. But is there the same redemption for SWTOR? Will it ultimately become the great game everyone was hoping that it would be?

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: PR nightmare

MassivelyHyperspace Beacon: PR nightmare originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 29 May 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bad-newsbiowaredaniel-ericksoneaelectronic-artsfeaturedgreg-zeschukhyperspace-beaconjames-ohlenlay-offslayoffslucasartsmythic-entertainmentopinionsci-fiserver-mergesstar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicStephen-Reidswtorthe-old-republictorTue, 29 May 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Old Republic interview on patch 1.3 covers LFG, perks, and gear]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/23/the-old-republic-interview-on-patch-1-3-covers-lfg-perks-and-g/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/23/the-old-republic-interview-on-patch-1-3-covers-lfg-perks-and-g/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/23/the-old-republic-interview-on-patch-1-3-covers-lfg-perks-and-g/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

SWTOR
Star Wars: The Old Republic is gonna get some mighty fine updates with the onset of patch 1.3. Game Designer Daniel Erickson had a chat with PC Gamer to shed some light on the changes in the upcoming patch.

Players in SWTOR don't like standing still. As Erickson says: "You can craft on the move, run [war zones] from anywhere, and basically never slow down -- except when looking for a group." To put an end to that difficulty, 1.3 will include a LFG interface that players can use to find a pick-up group to run with (except for Hard Mode Operations, which aren't really designed for uncoordinated PUGs). The tool won't work cross-server, but that's because the dev team is looking to move to servers with a much, much higher population cap in the near future.

The patch will add new perks to the legacy system, most of which are aimed at customizing the way players level their alts. With a high enough legacy and enough credits, players could use XP perks to skip side quests altogether, although Erickson points out that that there are perks for Bonus Series quests that may tempt players to visit planets they've previously left alone.

The last bundle of tidings of great joy for the patch is directed at gear. There's a fine balance between freedom of dress and the importance of visual distinction, and SWTOR aims to find it by allowing "social gear" to be worn anywhere. Additionally, "almost every single item in the game" will get customization options thanks to augment slots. Players can use augment slots on gear to add, well, augments, which will allow them to further customize their character and playstyle.

MassivelyThe Old Republic interview on patch 1.3 covers LFG, perks, and gear originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 23 May 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1.3biowaredaniel-ericksoneaelectronic-artsinterviewinterviewslegacylucasartspatchpatch-1.3pc-gamersci-fistar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicsubsubscription-feeswtorthe-old-republictorupdateupdate-1.3Wed, 23 May 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SWTOR patch 1.3 bringing group finder, legacy perks]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/21/swtor-patch-1-3-bringing-group-finder-legacy-perks/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/21/swtor-patch-1-3-bringing-group-finder-legacy-perks/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/21/swtor-patch-1-3-bringing-group-finder-legacy-perks/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

SWTOR
A long time ago on a server far, far away, the Imperial forces BioWare prepared a Star Wars: The Old Republic update to rule the online world: patch 1.3. Called Allies, patch 1.3 will usher in a group finder, character transfers, and legacy perks.

The group finder will aid in banding together interested adventurers to tackle operations and flashpoints. Lead Designer Daniel Erickson said that the time is ripe for the feature, as players are spread out in levels and are rolling plenty of alts. Saying that BioWare wants to "respect the communities" that have formed, Erickson reports that the group finder will not be cross-server.

He also revealed some of the other key features for patch 1.3. Additional perks to the Legacy system will allow players to customize their experience; we'll see new ports, earlier access to mounts, and bonus XP modifiers for PvP. The patch will also change social gear to fit the armor type of the class using it, server transfers, and the ability to add augments to any crafting items. Looking past 1.3, Erickson promises a "return to big content" with patch 1.4.

If you're a fan of the SWTOR novels, you'll also be delighted to hear that Drew Karpyshyn announced that his next novel, Annihilation, is scheduled for November 13th.

You can watch the patch 1.3 preview video after the jump!

Continue reading SWTOR patch 1.3 bringing group finder, legacy perks

MassivelySWTOR patch 1.3 bringing group finder, legacy perks originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 21 May 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1.31.3-patch1.3-updateadaptive-gearalliesannihilationaugmentsbiowarecharacter-transfercharacter-transferscraftingdaniel-ericksonDrew-Karpyshyndungeon-findereaelectronic-artsgroup-finderinterviewlegacylegacy-perkslegacy-systemlucasartspatchpatch-1.3people-finderpreviewsci-fiserver-transferserver-transfersstar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicsubsubscription-feeswtorthe-old-republictorupdateupdate-1.3videoMon, 21 May 2012 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[SWTOR on the rise and planning more PvP, endgame content]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/02/swtor-on-the-rise-and-planning-more-pvp-endgame-content/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/02/swtor-on-the-rise-and-planning-more-pvp-endgame-content/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/02/swtor-on-the-rise-and-planning-more-pvp-endgame-content/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

SWTOR
Star Wars: The Old Republic's moon (that's no moon...) is waxing, not waning, says Daniel Erickson. BioWare's lead designer on the project said that rumors of the game's demise are incredibly premature -- and outright wrong.

Following Update 1.2 and the Rakghoul Outbreak live event, Erickson reports that player activity in the game is increasing. He said that the studio is working hard to keep its customers happy: "The community has generally been excited about the direction the game is going as we finish up our last must-have quality of life features (group finder, etc) and can start concentrating full-time on creative things like the world events."

Erickson said that the live event was kept a surprise to make it "feel organic" and not spoil everything in this age of instant internet sharing. He said that the team took a cue from World of Warcraft's Corrupted Blood plague that swept through the game in 2005; the devs tried to channel players' actions to fun rather than griefing.

He says that the team discovered that SWTOR had a huge PvP community and has since "turned a huge amount of resources" to developing more content for that side of the game. BioWare's also shifted several team members over to creating more endgame content as the players chew through the stories at an increasing rate.

MassivelySWTOR on the rise and planning more PvP, endgame content originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 02 May 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SWTOR: Imperial Agent Sniper
Snipers and Gunslingers should be happy about the changes to Star Wars: The Old Republic this morning. Five of their most prominent abilities have received a 5% increase in damage output. With the latest patch 1.2.1, abilities like Snipe, Charged Burst, Aim Shot, and Ambush now have a measurable difference in damage output.

Although Snipers and Gunslingers were the only classes to receive a bonus to damage, many other minor and why-is-this-an-issue bugs have been fixed with the introduction of this patch. For instance, each player can add other players to his friends list even if those other players are offline. And that persistent and annoying jet-engine sound heard on Carrick and Vaiken station has been fixed.

On a sad note, the Rakghoul plague has come to and end (or is that good news?). Either way, the announcements on the stations have stopped, and the crash site has been fully cleaned up, including the jawa vendor. But chin up, event-fans: Lead Designer Daniel Erickson mentioned on Mos Eisley Radio that although BioWare does not have plans to revive this specific event, there is a whole team specifically dedicated to creating future live events.

MassivelySWTOR increases Sniper damage, fixes bugs, and cures the Rakghoul plague originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 24 Apr 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BioWaredaniel-ericksonEAElectronic-ArtsGunslingerImperial-AgentLucasArtspatch-notesrakghoulrakghoul-plagueSmugglerSniperStar-WarsStar-Wars-The-Old-RepublicSWTORthe-old-republicTORTue, 24 Apr 2012 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hyperspace Beacon: Outbreak]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/17/hyperspace-beacon-outbreak/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/17/hyperspace-beacon-outbreak/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/17/hyperspace-beacon-outbreak/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Hyperspace Beacon: Outbreak
A year ago at PAX East, I spoke to Community Manager Stephen Reid about events in Star Wars: The Old Republic. He asked and answered a popular question at the time: "Will [SWTOR] have events where we randomly spawn NPCs for players to fight? No, but we will have events." He couldn't elaborate, but it did leave me wondering what that could possibly mean, especially when later at PAX East, Lead Writer Daniel Erickson said that SWTOR would not break the fourth wall by holding holiday-type events.

Earlier this year, Update 1.1: Rise of the Rakghouls brought us a new flashpoint called Kaon Under Siege. A ship crash landed in the heart of the Tion Hegemony, taking the Rakghoul virus off the planet Taris and spreading it to a new world. Both the Republic and the Empire sought to find the source of this outbreak. Like all flashpoints, Koan Under Siege is instanced and separate from the rest of the open world.

Relatedly, and quite surprisingly, BioWare started its first world event without announcing it on the official website or even letting anyone know that it was happening. On Sunday morning, everyone who was stopping by Carrick or Vaiken station could overhear an announcement that the planet Tatooine had been quarantined due to an outbreak of the Rakghoul virus.

So started my investigation...

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Outbreak

MassivelyHyperspace Beacon: Outbreak originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Apr 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowaredaniel-ericksoneaelectronic-artseventeventsfeaturedhyperspace-beaconin-game-eventlucasartsmini-gamesopinionoutbreakrakghoulRise-of-the-Rakghoulssci-fistar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicStephen-Reidswtortatooinethe-old-republictorworld-eventTue, 17 Apr 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Ranked PvP to be cut from SWTOR's Legacy patch]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/11/star-wars-the-old-republic-ranked-pvp-cut-short/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/11/star-wars-the-old-republic-ranked-pvp-cut-short/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/11/star-wars-the-old-republic-ranked-pvp-cut-short/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

SWTOR ranked PvP cut short
Despite extensive testing on the private test server, BioWare has decided to not include ranked PvP warzones in the latest patch for Star Wars: The Old Republic.

Although Update 1.2: Legacy will still go live tomorrow with a brand-new warzone, Novare Coast, the new reward and leveling system for level 50 players will sadly be missing. In an announcement on the official site, Lead Game Designer Daniel Erickson stated, "After careful consideration, it is clear that to make Ranked Warzones the feature we all want it to be is going to take a bit more time. I apologize for any disappointment this may cause and ask for your patience as we work to make sure the Ranked Warzone Preseason launch is polished and fun."

Erickson did not reveal when we will see see ranked warzones on the live servers, but he did say that the team will roll out the feature in phases, starting with full-team (eight-player) queuing. He also noted that players can still earn the highly anticipated War Hero armor in Update 1.2 through other means.

[Thanks to Marc for the tip!]

MassivelyRanked PvP to be cut from SWTOR's Legacy patch originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Apr 2012 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BioWareDaniel-EricksonEAElectrionic-Artsinstanced-pvplegacyLucasArtsPvPranked-pvpranked-warzonesStar-WarsStar-Wars-The-Old-RepublicSWTORThe-Old-RepublicTORupdate-1.2war-hero-armorwarzonesWed, 11 Apr 2012 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Epic in scope: SWTOR's James Ohlen explains plans for the future]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/13/epic-in-scope-swtors-james-ohlen-explains-plans-for-the-future/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/13/epic-in-scope-swtors-james-ohlen-explains-plans-for-the-future/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/13/epic-in-scope-swtors-james-ohlen-explains-plans-for-the-future/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

James Ohlen
As the Star Wars: The Old Republic guild leaders lined up to get a taste of the Lost Island flashpoint, I was at BioWare studios getting my hands dirty with deeper PvE and PvP content as well as speaking with developers like Combat Designer Georg Zoeller, Lead Writer Daniel Erickson, Art Director Jeff Dobson, and Lead Designer Emmanuel Lusinchi. However, the best part was at the end of the day when I was able to speak one-on-one with Creative Director James Ohlen.

Ohlen touches nearly every aspect of the game's development. It was important to me to find out why this game is as popular as it is and what BioWare was going to do to retain its current playerbase. The first stop was the latest game update, which should hit test servers really soon.

Continue reading Epic in scope: SWTOR's James Ohlen explains plans for the future

MassivelyEpic in scope: SWTOR's James Ohlen explains plans for the future originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Mar 2012 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowaredaniel-ericksone-sportseaelectronic-artsemmanuel-lusinchiendgameendgame-contentesportsfeaturedgame-testinggeorg-zoellerinterviewinterviewsjames-ohlenjeff-dobsonlevel-50lucasartspublic-test-serverPvPsci-fistar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-old-republictorupdate-1.2Tue, 13 Mar 2012 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Hyperspace Beacon: Making sense of Legacy]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/13/hyperspace-beacon-making-sense-of-legacy/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/13/hyperspace-beacon-making-sense-of-legacy/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/13/hyperspace-beacon-making-sense-of-legacy/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Hyperspace Beacon: Making sense of Legacy
Last week, I spent some time in Austin, Texas, at BioWare's Star Wars: The Old Republic studio. One of the many things I saw was the Legacy System. Although it's a great tool, it is far from the good storytelling device it's intended to be. But perhaps we can make some sense out of it.

The Legacy leveling system begins when one of your characters completes chapter one. Without revealing too many spoilers, I can say that chapter one ends in a non-planetary quest just after the main Alderaan quest line. Based on the average, your character should be level 32 when this happens (or if you're like me, you were level 30 and a friend helped you pass the final stage). At this point, you begin to gain legacy levels, which Lead Systems Designer Damion Schubert says cap at level 50 currently (that's 50 legacy levels, not 50 combat levels).

Until last week, we were uncertain what the legacy levels would actually give us. Thanks to the latest SWTOR video, we now know that the Legacy System provides rewards ranging from ship customization items to species unlocks. I won't be able to talk about all the Legacy additions in this article, but I can hit the highlights.

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Making sense of Legacy

MassivelyHyperspace Beacon: Making sense of Legacy originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Mar 2012 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowaredamion-schubertdaniel-ericksoneaelectronic-artsfeaturedgalaxiesgeorg-zoellerheroic-abilitieshyperspace-beaconlegacy-systemlucasartsopinionpatch-1.2patchessandboxsci-fisoesony-online-entertainmentspecies-unlockstar-warsstar-wars-galaxiesstar-wars-the-old-republicswgswtorthe-old-republictorTue, 13 Mar 2012 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Hyperspace Beacon: Sensing the future]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/03/hyperspace-beacon-sensing-the-future/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/03/hyperspace-beacon-sensing-the-future/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/03/hyperspace-beacon-sensing-the-future/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

Hyperspace Beacon: Sensing the future
I like making predictions. When it comes to Star Wars: The Old Republic, I've been spot on about several things, but I've missed the boat on some too. "Careful you must be when sensing the future, Anakin. The fear of loss is a path to the dark side," Yoda warned the young Jedi Knight in Revenge of the Sith. It's a good thing I don't have anything to lose by guessing what I think will happen in the future for this game.

In 2011, we saw TOR launch with astronomical numbers, and all you have to do is look at our front page to realize how much people have been talking about this game. Hopefully, the future of the game is just as bright. Thankfully, developers at BioWare have been very talkative about what's coming in the future.

Let's combine what players have said with the plans developers have spoken about to predict the future of the game. After the break, I'll mix the news with my Force powers to see in the the future... the future... the future... echo... echo...

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Sensing the future

MassivelyHyperspace Beacon: Sensing the future originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 03 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BioWaredaniel-ericksonEAElectronic-Artsfeaturedflashpointhuttballjames-ohlenLucasArtsopinionplanetplanetsPredictionspvpspeculationStar-Warsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtortorTue, 03 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SWTOR's Daniel Erickson on pulling players' moral strings]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/30/swtors-daniel-erickson-on-pulling-players-moral-strings/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/30/swtors-daniel-erickson-on-pulling-players-moral-strings/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/30/swtors-daniel-erickson-on-pulling-players-moral-strings/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

SWTOR
BioWare's Daniel Erickson said that for the writing team, the crunch time came way ahead of everyone else since the script for the game had to be done first. As such, the team has had plenty of time to reflect on how the game's developed while it's moved on to future content. In speaking with GameSpy, the Star Wars: The Old Republic head writer opened up about the difficulties and fun of penning a game with so many personalities, choices, and plot twists.

Probably the most revealing is how Erickson admits that the writers are trying to pull players in multiple directions through a series of moral influences: the game's own light and dark side system, players' own morality, companions' own likes and dislikes, and multiplayer dialogue. Ideally, he said, one of the goals of the writing team was to make quests that would challenge players' set paths to make them want to change. "It's interesting to watch all those dynamic forces affect the player, see how they interact with the storytelling method," he said.

Erickson also says that the project got initial pushback over the notion of centering it on story, because of the past limitations of MMOs and "the expected norm" that had grown over the years: "It was clear, when you played the early MMOs, that they were trying to put as much as they could in for what was there. There were people on each one of these projects that clearly cared passionately about the lore, and were really trying to get it across to the players. So we knew that that was there and we knew from the single-player games what did it."

The interview continues to cover a wide range of writing challenges, including coming up with the script for Huttball, quests that the team was sure would get cut by the ESRB, and how the team enjoyed coming up with intricate stories, connections, and romances for companion characters.

MassivelySWTOR's Daniel Erickson on pulling players' moral strings originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Dec 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarechoicesdaniel-ericksondark-sideeaea-biowareesrbgamespyhuttballlight-sideloremoralmoral-codemoral-decisionsmoralityscriptingscriptsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorvoice-overwritingwriting-teamFri, 30 Dec 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[BioWare's Erickson talks about creating MMO story]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/28/biowares-erickson-talks-about-creating-mmo-story/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/28/biowares-erickson-talks-about-creating-mmo-story/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/28/biowares-erickson-talks-about-creating-mmo-story/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Star Wars: The Old Republic - Not as clumsy or random as a blaster
Story is on everyone's mind when it comes to discussing Star Wars: The Old Republic, and who better to talk to than one of the devs primarily responsible for creating it. PC Gamer does just that in a new interview with BioWare writer Daniel Erickson. The development process is quite complex, and it's also one that takes some time given the hundreds of hours of dialogue required, not to mention the interplay between quest NPCs and players.

Erickson says that the world-building team uses "greybox" placeholders to connect story quests together while the technical and narrative details are ironed out, and there's a lot less room for error than there is in a typical single-player RPG.

"You can teleport people around in a normal RPG, you can fake things, you can make it look like you went from one place to another because there's a secret room hidden in the wall - you can do all sorts of chicanery that, if you tried to do in an MMO somebody's gonna find that room, somebody's gonna teleport out. We have to cheat a lot less, and that takes more time," Erickson explains.

MassivelyBioWare's Erickson talks about creating MMO story originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Dec 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Screenshot -- Star Wars: The Old Republic
December 20th is finally here, and Star Wars: The Old Republic is as live as it's going to get. The title's official launch has sent ripples through the interwebs, and MSNBC, Gamasutra, and Kotaku all have new features highlighting various facets of the new title. Gamasutra has a few words with BioWare co-founder Greg Zeschuk and creative director James Ohlen regarding the game's post-launch strategy. Zeschuk claims that the team is "really busy working on future SWTOR content as well as continuing to improve the service. This will never end." Never is quite a long time, we think, but we'll see how that goes.

Meanwhile, MSNBC sits down with SWTOR's Lead Writer, Daniel Erickson, about BioWare's much-touted story pillar. He claims that the game's 20 writers worked together for a total of over 60 man-years of labor on the game's story and writing. And lastly, Kotaku has another few words with Zeschuk. When asked if SWTOR could potentially make a move to F2P like, say, DC Universe Online, Zeschuk replied, "Free-to-play works best when a game is built that way from the ground up... We're not saying never ever, but we certainly have no plans like that in the foreseeable future." For the full features, click on through the links below.

MassivelyStar Wars: The Old Republic's hype train barrels onward originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 Dec 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebusiness-modeldaniel-ericksoneaelectronic-artsfuturegreg-zeschukjames-ohlenlaunchpost-launchstar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-old-republicwritingTue, 20 Dec 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hyperspace Beacon: What is this RP-PvP anyway?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/15/hyperspace-beacon-what-is-this-rp-pvp-anyway/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/15/hyperspace-beacon-what-is-this-rp-pvp-anyway/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/15/hyperspace-beacon-what-is-this-rp-pvp-anyway/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Hyperspace Beacon: What is this RP-PVP anyway?
At E3, Principal Lead Writer Daniel Erickson expressed that he wanted a roleplay player-vs.-player server for Star Wars: The Old Republic. Granted, BioWare's live team originally intended to not launch with any type of open-world PvP roleplay server. Community Coordinator David Bass confirmed this when he explained that the Guild HQ program will not support RP-PvP servers and that those guilds wishing to roll on those types of servers will have to do it the old fashioned way: in game. According to the Daedalus Project, a study on the habits of MMO players, only 7% of all players actually roll a character on an RP-PvP server. However, when you keep in mind that SWTOR has the largest preorder sales of any PC game as of right now (about 802,000, not including digital and European sales), 7% ends up being a significant number. At least, there are enough people interested in RP-PvP to fill a server.

I understand that many people are turned off by the idea of mixing roleplay with PvP. I completely understand that. When the term RP hits people, images of Goldshire and naked Night Elves come to mind immediately. In truth, however, roleplay is really just telling a story through an interactive medium, in this case an MMO. For instance, if in the course of playing SWTOR you find yourself asking, "What would my character do in this situation?", then you have just brushed up against roleplay. In RP-PvP, players enjoy a very similar experience.

Today, let's talk about mixing story and PvP. Players have found diverse ways to integrate the two. Beyond the break, I have examples of how you may find ways to do it yourself, even if hardcore roleplay isn't your thing.

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: What is this RP-PvP anyway?

MassivelyHyperspace Beacon: What is this RP-PvP anyway? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 15 Nov 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BioWaredaniel-ericksondavid-bassEAElectronic-Artsfeaturedguild-vs-guildGuild-warLucasArtsopen-world-pvpplayer-versus-playerplayer-vs-playerPvProle-playroleplayRolePlayingRPRP-PVPserver-typesStar-Warsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-old-republictorwarzonesTue, 15 Nov 2011 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Backstabbing galore: Daniel Erickson talks about the Sith Inquisitor's story]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/01/backstabbing-galore-daniel-erickson-talks-about-the-sith-inquis/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/01/backstabbing-galore-daniel-erickson-talks-about-the-sith-inquis/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/01/backstabbing-galore-daniel-erickson-talks-about-the-sith-inquis/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

SWTOR
The blog Sith Inquirer wrote in to BioWare to, well, inquire about Star Wars: The Old Republic's Sith Inquisitor class story and received a response from none other than head writer Daniel Erickson.

In the interview, Erickson said that the story for the Sith Inquisitor was entirely written by Rebecca Harwick, who drew inspiration from Emperor Palpatine as well as Alex Freed's Blood of the Empire series. Inquisitor players will begin their saga by investigating "forgotten regions" on different worlds as they look for the secret of ancient Sith power.

The team had a few issues writing around Purebloods being portrayed as slaves, although this was ironed out as BioWare placed a priority on allowing players to pick the race they wished. the class is being voiced by Euan Morton (male) and Xanthe Elbrick (female).

Will there be plenty of backstabbing, political or otherwise, as part of the storyline? "More than you can possibly imagine," Erickson replies.

When it comes to the Sith Inquisitor's companions, Erickson tantalized fans by saying, "Khem has one of the most amazing storyline developments for a companion and the (as yet unseen) Inquisitor romances are not your normal fare at all."

MassivelyBackstabbing galore: Daniel Erickson talks about the Sith Inquisitor's story originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 01 Nov 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alex-freedalexander-freedbiowareblood-of-the-empiredaniel-ericksonEuan-Mortonkhempurebloodpureblood-sithpurebloodsRebecca-Harwicksithsith-inquisitorsith-sorcerersith-sorceressstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-sith-inquirerXanthe-ElbrickTue, 01 Nov 2011 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hyperspace Beacon: Timeline]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/27/hyperspace-beacon-timeline/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/27/hyperspace-beacon-timeline/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/27/hyperspace-beacon-timeline/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Hyperspace Beacon: Timeline
When I started the Holocron Files last week, it slipped my mind that I have been doing this column for a year and a half and that not everyone has been following every issue. When I wrote about the Pureblood Sith, it was really meant to be a refresher course, not a comprehensive chronicle. It's extremely difficult to capture the full history of a species in about a thousand words. That being said, I understand that not everyone has a perspective on the Star Wars timeline, especially the time leading up to Star Wars: The Old Republic.

I don't think it's any secret that BioWare stories are extremely deep, and Lead Writer Daniel Erickson has a nerdgasm every time someone interviews him about Star Wars history. The established history leading up to TOR will play a major role in the story that unfolds in the game, otherwise the development team would not have had the wherewithal to create the timeline videos for the website.

Following the break, I would like to set you up for future, more comprehensive articles about the Star Wars lore. Although this column is certainly not exclusively about lore, when I bring up another Holocron File, I want reader to have a decent understanding of when these events fall in Star Wars history. So rev up your time machine to 88 miles per hour! This Hyperspace Beacon is about to go back in time -- way back!

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Timeline

MassivelyHyperspace Beacon: Timeline originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 27 Sep 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AdasAjunta-PallAleema-KetoBioWareCorelliacoruscantdaniel-ericksondromund-kaasEAElectronic-Artsexar-kunfeaturedFirst-Great-SchismFreedon-Naddgalactic-republicgreat-hyperspace-warhistoryHuttaHuttsInfinite-empireJedi-ExileKarness-MuurkorribanKrathloreLucasArtsMalakMandalor-the-ultimateMandalore-theFirstmandaloriannaga-sadownomi-sunriderOnderonord-mantellOssusrakataRevanSacking-of-CoruscantSatal-KetoSecond-Great-SchismSithStar-Warsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorswtor-lore-guidethe-old-republicThird-Great-SchismtimelinetorTythonVultarXoXaanYavin-IVTue, 27 Sep 2011 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: On armchair development]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/27/the-soapbox-on-armchair-development/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/27/the-soapbox-on-armchair-development/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/27/the-soapbox-on-armchair-development/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Armchair
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

A couple of weeks ago I penned a Soapbox that, to put it mildly, elicited passionate responses. While a few people sided with me in my belief that MMO combat is silly and sucky, the cries of the masses drowned us out with variations on "you know nothing, Jon Snow" and "go back to consoles, you inexperienced newb!"

Some of the responses got me to thinking about game design in general and about game designers and their cult celebrity status in particular. When you cut through the anonymous insults and keyboard courage, most of my would-be critics were actually right about one thing: I'm not a game "developer." You know what's funny, though? That doesn't make a lick of difference when it comes to the ability to talk intelligently about games and game design.

Continue reading The Soapbox: On armchair development

MassivelyThe Soapbox: On armchair development originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 27 Sep 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>armchair-designarmchair-designerarmchair-developersarmchair-developmentarmchair-devscelebritycraig-morrisoncreativitycult-celebritiesdaniel-ericksondesigndesignersdevelopersdevelopers-know-bestdevsexperienceexpertiseexpertsfeaturedmmo-designmmo-industrymmo-status-quoopinionsoapboxsoapbox-jef-reahardstatus-quothe-soapboxtow-the-linewhat-is-a-developerTue, 27 Sep 2011 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively's guide to PAX 2011]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/25/massivelys-guide-to-pax-2011/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/25/massivelys-guide-to-pax-2011/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/25/massivelys-guide-to-pax-2011/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

PAX 2011: Massively's guide
What can be said about PAX Prime in Seattle, Washington that hasn't been said already? Everyone knows that it is the largest public gaming event in North America. Attendance totaled 67,600 last year, not including press and exhibitors. And this year, even more gamers will descend on the Washington State Convention and Trade Center. The latest and greatest games -- released and unreleased -- will be available for public consumption. Developers will mill around the showroom floor, answering your questions. Not to mention that no one will look at you funny because you play video games!

This year, MMORPGs really stand out in the crowd. Seattle native NCsoft has a huge presence at the convention, borrowing a theater just to showcase its games. BioWare comes armed with its heavy-hitter, Star Wars: The Old Republic. And free-to-play titles like Firefall, Lord of the Rings Online, and Wakfu promise to strut their stuff at this year's PAX.

Punch past the break as Massively outlines the must-see booths for MMO fans. And don't forget the panels, including a couple of MMO spotlights for PAX Dev, the gathering of fans and developers at Sheraton Seattle Hotel on the 24th and 25th.

Continue reading Massively's guide to PAX 2011

MassivelyMassively's guide to PAX 2011 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 25 Aug 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alienwareAnetantecarenanetBioWarecarbinecarbine-studiosccpCity-ofcity-of-heroescity-of-heroes-freedomCity-of-VillainsCoHcoh-freedomCoVCoXdaniel-ericksondefiancedust-514EAElectronic-Artsend-of-nationsEVE-OnlinefeaturedFinal-FantasyfirefallfreedomFuncomglobal-agendaguild-warsGuild-Wars-2gwgw2hi-rezhi-rez-studiosleague-of-legendslogitechLoLlord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelord-of-the-rings-rise-of-isengardlotroLucasArtsncsoftparagonparagon-studiosPAXpax-2011pax-primepax-prime-2011perfect-world-entertainmentred-5red-5-studiosred5Red5-StudiosRIFTriotriot-gamesrise-of-isengardrusty-heartssecret-worldsmiteSquare-EnixSquareEnixStar-Warsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-old-republicthe-secret-worldtortribes-ascendTriontrion-worldsTSWTurbineTurbine-Entertainmentwakfuwargaming.netWildStarworld-of-tanksworld-of-warplanesThu, 25 Aug 2011 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Hyperspace Beacon: Bucket list]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/16/hyperspace-beacon-bucket-list/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/16/hyperspace-beacon-bucket-list/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/16/hyperspace-beacon-bucket-list/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Hyperspace Beacon: Bucket list
Once we start Star Wars: The Old Republic, we will not be able to stop. After only playing the game twice, I have a hard time going back to other games because -- among other things -- voice-over dialogue is far superior to walls of text any day. Then, of course, we can't forget character choices. We will be able to tell the quest-giver what we think of fetching that item for him at the shop when he could just as easily get it himself if he decided to walk 10 feet to the building next to him. That leads me to the point of this article.

Despite all the incredible things we will be able to do in SWTOR, certain others will be missed once the game launches. Particular staples of MMO games, in general, will never be seen again. As someone who is placing his MMO future in TOR, I suggest creating a bucket list. Let's face it: When The Old Republic releases, we cannot look back to other MMOs. They will be dead to us. After the cut, I have complied a list of 10 items that we will never see again once we start playing TOR. Count them down with me.

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Bucket list

MassivelyHyperspace Beacon: Bucket list originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 16 Aug 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Star Wars: The Old Republic
For most people, having the game you're working on break every pre-order record your parent company has ever seen would be enough to give you a breather and a sigh of relief. Not so with Star Wars: The Old Republic's Daniel Erickson, who admits to being on pins and needles nevertheless. Talking with Videogamer.com, Erickson says, "At least for myself, nothing short of shipping and actually being successful will alleviate that worry. I've watched this game grow since before day one and as with any creative project you pour your heart into, the mix of anticipation and fear is huge. We'll relax after the game is out, running beautifully and our fans are having a blast."

In the interview, Erickson used the opportunity to clear the air over a misquote concerning SWTOR "lasting decades," explain why he doesn't fully trust outside industry analysts, and talk about why the dev team stayed with the tried-and-true hotbar for combat.

Erickson also thinks that the subscription model isn't going anywhere, but will be applied mostly to "top tier" MMOs. "I expect to see a small group of games compete for the subscription dollar," he predicts, "and a larger group take on the F2P market with smaller, faster produced games that try to establish a core market then use the revenue streams created from that small market to improve and expand their game."

MassivelySWTOR's Daniel Erickson: 'The mix of anticipation and fear is huge' originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 09 Aug 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Before I begin this little rant about Star Wars: The Old Republic, there are a couple things I want to make clear: This edition of the Hyperspace Beacon will have a lot of spoilers, and I really like SWTOR as a whole.

First off, the spoilers mentioned here will be about the DragonAge and Mass Effect series of games. If you have not played through either one of those games and do not want to know how some of that story turns out, then you may not want to read this article. Secondly, SWTOR is a wonderful game. I have played it on a couple of occasions, and I believe it exhibits some of the qualities that have been missing from many of the current MMOs -- specifically, story. By no means do I want to discourage anyone from playing or pre-ordering this game, so if you're on the fence about this game, you may not want to read on because this article is not for you.

Surely, fans of BioWare have played games like Mass Effect and DragonAge, and I hope you have played Knights of the Old Republic. These games really define what BioWare is and the types of games it can make. However, given some of the most recent announcements, I have to wonder if some of the staples that made these BioWare games great are going to be missing in Star Wars: The Old Republic. Have BioWare games gone from having choice to just the illusion of choice?

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Illusion of choice

MassivelyHyperspace Beacon: Illusion of choice originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 02 Aug 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BioWarechoicedaniel-ericksonDragon-AgeDragon-Age-2EAElectronic-ArtsfeaturedGame-Mechanicshyperspace-beaconIllusion-of-choicejames-ohlenKnights-of-the-Old-RepublicLucasArtsMass-EffectMass-Effect-2opinionStar-Warsstar-wars-the-old-republicstoryswtorthe-old-republictorTue, 02 Aug 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SWTOR writer talks economy, endgame, and polish]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/13/swtor-writer-talks-economy-endgame-and-polish/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/13/swtor-writer-talks-economy-endgame-and-polish/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/13/swtor-writer-talks-economy-endgame-and-polish/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

We told you yesterday about your chance to get your hands dirty with a Star Wars The Old Republic flashpoint demo later this month. Today we've heard tell of a new video interview with TOR lead writer Daniel Erickson that's worth a viewing.

Game Reactor has just released a 15-minute sit-down with Erickson from this year's E3, and the discussion ranges from story, to endgame, to the possibility of an open beta in the near future.

"It's our launch year," Erickson says, "so I finally get to quit saying -- for the most part -- I can't talk about that." Head to Game Reactor to see what Erickson can talk about, including blurbs on the player economy, raiding, and polish, and don't forget to let us know what you think in the comments.

[Thanks to Petter for the tip!]

MassivelySWTOR writer talks economy, endgame, and polish originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 13 Jul 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowaredaniel-ericksone3-2011ea-biowareendgameinterviewmechanicsmmo-industrynew-titlessci-fistar-wars-the-old-republicstoryswtorthe-old-republictorWed, 13 Jul 2011 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hyperspace Beacon: Expecting a living world]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/12/hyperspace-beacon-expecting-a-living-world/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/12/hyperspace-beacon-expecting-a-living-world/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/12/hyperspace-beacon-expecting-a-living-world/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

The other day I was talking to some friends about Star Wars: The Old Republic, of course. As of late, it seems to be the only thing I'm talking about. My friend isn't a guy who follows the game that closely, but he is an MMO player and has certain expectations for the game. Specifically, we talked about Crew Skills and space combat. He is an EVE player. EVE Online has one of the most in-depth crafting systems in any MMO to date, not to mention the game is completely set in space, right? On the other side of the fence, I was talking to some roleplayers in Star Wars Galaxies, who also don't follow the game as closely as I do. These MMOers are expecting SWTOR to be filled with the best roleplay tools available in the gaming industry. It's BioWare; after all, that team created Never Winter Nights, the most customizable RPG ever. (Of course, this doesn't take into effect that latest games to come from the developer were pretty linear and not very sandboxy.)

As arm chair developers, we sometimes believe that implementing ideas in an MMO is a lot easier than reality. On the official forums last week, a player made this statement: "I, and 14 other guildmates, really want to plan on rolling on an rp-pvp server. It's such a trivial game feature to confirm for us, I don't understand why they wouldn't just mention it and be done with it." After saying that he would look into it, Community Manager Stephen Reid made the statement that "A good rule of thumb with MMO development is to never assume something is trivial."

What are some other "trivial" expectations players are placing on this game? Which ones can BioWare deliver on? Which ones aren't as trivial as suggested? Why can't Star Wars: The Old Republic give us everything we want? In this week's column, let's talk about setting.

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Expecting a living world

MassivelyHyperspace Beacon: Expecting a living world originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 12 Jul 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BioWaredaniel-ericksone3-2011EAElectronic-Artsexpectationsfeaturedhypehyperspace-beaconLucasArtssettingStar-Warsstar-wars-the-old-republicStephen-Reidswtortatooinethe-old-republictorTue, 12 Jul 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Old Republic's Daniel Erickson says writers are game designers]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/24/the-old-republics-daniel-erickson-says-writers-are-game-designe/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/24/the-old-republics-daniel-erickson-says-writers-are-game-designe/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/24/the-old-republics-daniel-erickson-says-writers-are-game-designe/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Can game writers be classified as game designers? BioWare writing director Daniel Erickson thinks so. In a brief interview at PC Gamer, Erickson lays out his views on the legitimacy of game writing in no uncertain terms.

"You can teach a writer to be a junior game designer. You cannot teach a junior game designer to be a writer. You need somebody who is a senior master level writer and then you teach them the basics of game design," he says.

Erickson goes on to describe BioWare's writer boot camp, which involves a three-month training period and a lot of work that will never see the light of day. While the article doesn't directly mention Star Wars: The Old Republic, it's clear that Erickson and BioWare are looking to further spread the word regarding the upcoming MMO's heavy narrative focus.

MassivelyThe Old Republic's Daniel Erickson says writers are game designers originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Jun 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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With E3 last week, I really considered devoting this article to opinions regarding the latest news for Star Wars: The Old Republic. Then I realized that Massively already published a ton of SWTOR related articles about E3 this week. During the show itself, Dan gave his impressions of playing the game, and all four of our attendees delivered impressions yesterday. It's good to read impressions from people who love MMOs but aren't necessarily die-hard fans of BioWare or Star Wars -- you'll get a different perspective than you would reading this column.

So instead, this week I'll examine the announced abilities for the Jedi Consular class. The majority of this information stems from the advanced class page, but there is a little bit that comes from MMORPG's interview with Georg Zoeller. Hop past the break as we explore the abilities of this powerful Force-user.

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Find the Force

MassivelyHyperspace Beacon: Find the Force originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Jun 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>advanced-classesBioWareclassclassesdaniel-ericksonEAElectronic-Artsfeaturedforcegeorg-zoellerhealerhyperspace-beaconJedijedi-consularJedi-SageJedi-ShadowLucasArtsmechanicsrogueStar-Warsstar-wars-the-old-republicstealthswtorthe-old-republictorTue, 14 Jun 2011 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[E3 2011: New Daniel Erickson interview on Star Wars: The Old Republic]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/06/new-daniel-erickson-interview-on-star-wars-the-old-republic-at/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/06/new-daniel-erickson-interview-on-star-wars-the-old-republic-at/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/06/new-daniel-erickson-interview-on-star-wars-the-old-republic-at/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

E3 is already bringing out the goodies for fans anticipating the launch of Star Wars: The Old Republic, with the trailer earlier today putting the game fresh into everyone's mind. But the trailer was all about the atmosphere and visuals, while a new video interview with Daniel Erickson is focused instead on the content of the game. The interview starts off with a brief discussion of the game's raid content, which Erickson is quick to stress is just one of the game's offerings for endgame.

Moving along, Erickson talks about the difficulties involved in creating a fully voiced game and how Mass Effect's success was a big part of what led to the full voice for player characters as well as NPCs. While not everything in the interview will be revolutionary new information for longtime Star Wars: The Old Republic fans, it's still worth a watch to learn more about the upcoming game.

Massively's on the ground in Los Angeles during the week of June 6-9, bringing you all the best news from E3 2011. Whether you're dying to know more about Star Wars: The Old Republic, RIFT, or any MMO in between, you can bet we'll have it covered!

MassivelyE3 2011: New Daniel Erickson interview on Star Wars: The Old Republic originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 Jun 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebioware-austindaniel-ericksondevelopmente3e3-2011ea-biowareendgameinterviewpreviewstar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorvideoMon, 06 Jun 2011 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SWTOR shocks us with a new trailer for E3]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/04/swtor-shocks-us-with-a-new-trailer-for-e3/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/04/swtor-shocks-us-with-a-new-trailer-for-e3/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/04/swtor-shocks-us-with-a-new-trailer-for-e3/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

E3 starts next week, and Star Wars: The Old Republic is more than prepared. In fact, late yesterday evening, the developers at BioWare released a brand-new trailer via GameSpot that teases everything we will see coming out of the expo. Daniel Erickson said this to GameSpot:
We will have stations on the show floor for the first time, giving everyone hands-on [time] with Tatooine, a planet we've never shown. We'll have a first look at some boss fights and will be taking the wraps off our end-game content. We are also going to be debuting the grand conclusion to Blur's amazing CG trilogy and will have a few more surprises thrown in as well.
BioWare is known for producing top-quality story-driven RPGs, but this is the company's first step into the MMO world. Players who have questioned whether SWTOR would be an MMO may be happy to see words like vehicles, social hubs, and raids in this latest trailer.

Watch the full trailer and let us know what you think. I suggest watching 1:03 to 1:05 over and over. Who can get enough of electrocuting Jawas?

MassivelySWTOR shocks us with a new trailer for E3 originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 04 Jun 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowaredaniel-ericksonE3e3-2011EAElectronic-ArtsLucasArtsraidsshocking-Jawassocial-hubsStar-Warsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-old-republictortrailervehiclesSat, 04 Jun 2011 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Hyperspace Beacon: Wonderful, we are now part of the tribe!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/03/hyperspace-beacon-wonderful-we-are-now-part-of-the-tribe/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/03/hyperspace-beacon-wonderful-we-are-now-part-of-the-tribe/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/03/hyperspace-beacon-wonderful-we-are-now-part-of-the-tribe/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Last week, we mentioned that multiple fan sites took a trip to BioWare to tour the Austin studio, play Star Wars: The Old Republic, and interview the developers. It is a daunting task to sift through all that information to find the golden nuggets, but I've done my best to pull the most useful (or least-covered) quotes from different developers. This is by no means an exhaustive list! If you are someone who gobbles up every last bit of SWTOR news, then none of this will be new, but for everyone else: This is for you.

Before I begin, let me send my thanks to great fans of the following sites for putting this incredible information together. I cannot wait to read and hear about your PvP experiences when you release them a bit later this week: Ask A Jedi, Corellian Run Radio, Darth Hater, Fureur, Gamona, InGame, Mos Eisley Radio, SWTOR.EU, SWTOR-FR, SWTOR Life, SWTOR-UK, TOROCast, TOR-Talk, TORSyndicate, and TORWars.

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Wonderful, we are now part of the tribe!

MassivelyHyperspace Beacon: Wonderful, we are now part of the tribe! originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 03 May 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ask-a-jediBioWarecorellian-run-radiodamion-schubertdaniel-ericksondarth-haterEAElectronic-ArtsFansite-summitfeaturedFureurGamonageorg-zoellerInGameLucasArtsMos-Eisley-RadioStar-Warsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorSWTOR-FRSWTOR-LifeSWTOR-UKSWTOR.EUswtourthe-old-republictortor-syndicateTOR-TalkTOROcastTORWarsTue, 03 May 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[That's no moon - that's a SWTOR fan site explosion! [updated]]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/28/thats-no-moon-thats-a-swtor-fan-site-explosion/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/28/thats-no-moon-thats-a-swtor-fan-site-explosion/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/28/thats-no-moon-thats-a-swtor-fan-site-explosion/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Unless you have been sleeping in the wilds of Endor for the last couple of weeks, you know that BioWare Austin hosted its first ever fan site summit for Star Wars: The Old Republic. Impressions and developer interviews have been flooding Twitter for the last hour. There isn't a truly good way to sum up everything that is coming out of the summit, but we can attempt to give you the highlights!

Each fan site received its own exclusive screenshot like the one from SWTOR Life above. Two people from each site were invited to experience TOR with a hands-on in the origin worlds and the Black Talon flashpoint. The fan sites also had the privilege of speaking to many of the key developers of SWTOR, including Damion Schubert, Blaine Christine, and Daniel Erickson.

There is a slew of information here, so we will continue to update this post as more information trickles in!

[Update: We have rounded up the heavy hitters after the break]

Gallery: SWTOR Fan Site summit gallery

Continue reading That's no moon - that's a SWTOR fan site explosion! [updated]

MassivelyThat's no moon - that's a SWTOR fan site explosion! [updated] originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 28 Apr 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowareblaine-christinecorllian-run-radiodamion-shubertdaniel-ericksondarth-haterEaElectronic-Artsfan-site-summitfans-sitesLucasArtsStar-Warsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorswtor-euswtor-lifeswtourthe-old-republictortor-syndicatetor-warsTOROcastThu, 28 Apr 2011 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Hyperspace Beacon: That can be arranged]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/05/hyperspace-beacon-that-can-be-arranged/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/05/hyperspace-beacon-that-can-be-arranged/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/05/hyperspace-beacon-that-can-be-arranged/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

I have definitely been on a bit of a high horse about the social side of Star Wars: The Old Republic. If you have been following this column, then you know that, despite the statics to the contrary, I believe that one of the greatest dynamics of MMOs is the social system built strictly via human interaction. I always thought that one of the coolest things I ever saw in this type of game was the organic growth and change of these games. EVE Online interested me most in that regard. The cycle of corporations and rivalries of individual players seems to be the crux of the stories coming from the game -- with CCP acting as a type of god, throwing in elements to see how its subjects would react.

Although I understand that SWTOR is a themepark game (to be honest, I don't want it to be anything but), that social element will still exist, if for no other reason than that there are hundreds of thousands of people running around occupying the same space. I also find it very interesting that the social aspects of the game were pushed pretty hard in recent news, even up to last week with the April Fools' Day Wookiee jokes -- the emotes of the characters were the actual update. BioWare wished to show us that it realizes how important social elements are to players.

After the cut are some quotes and impressions I have received from developers regarding the more social aspects of TOR.

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: That can be arranged

MassivelyHyperspace Beacon: That can be arranged originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BioWareBrooks-Guthriecory-butlerdaniel-ericksoneaElectronic-Artsfeaturedjames-ohlenLucasArtsopinionsocialStar-Warsstar-wars-the-old-republicStephen-Reidswtorthe-old-republictorTue, 05 Apr 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hyperspace Beacon: Ready to face the Trials]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/29/hyperspace-beacon-ready-to-face-the-trials/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/29/hyperspace-beacon-ready-to-face-the-trials/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/29/hyperspace-beacon-ready-to-face-the-trials/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

We are often inspired by the Star Wars: The Old Republic videos released on Fridays. I'm not exactly sure why the community team started these weekly treats, but I'm going to speculate that it's a way to show the future players that the team will be there for them when the game releases. It's a kind of comfort. Many newer MMOs have increased community involvement in post-launch game design. Maybe the SWTOR team is looking to tell us, "We want you actively involved in our game development now and after the game is released." Good for the team.

This week's video of Jedi progression definitely inspired my colleague on Gamebreaker, Gary Gannon, as evident in Sunday's broadcast. I thought he was going to jump out of his chair. I have to agree with him that there is a lot of stuff packed into that two-and-a-half-minute video; for example, we were shown some of the armor progression milestones for the Jedi Knight class. This inspired me to investigate the story side of Jedi Knight progression. After all, BioWare is all about story, right?

So follow me after the break as I set a side my conscious self and let the Force flow through me.

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Ready to face the Trials

MassivelyHyperspace Beacon: Ready to face the Trials originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 29 Mar 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BioWaredaniel-ericksonEAElectronic-ArtsfeaturedinitiateJedijedi-knightJedi-MasterKnightloreLucasArtsMasterpadawanroleplayStar-Warsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-old-republicThe-TrialstortrainingTrialsTue, 29 Mar 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hyperspace Beacon: Community news round-up]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/22/hyperspace-beacon-community-news-round-up/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/22/hyperspace-beacon-community-news-round-up/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/22/hyperspace-beacon-community-news-round-up/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

As I mentioned in the last edition of the Hyperspace Beacon, the Star Wars: The Old Republic community played a large part in what made PAX East so great this time around. It would also be silly of me to believe that I could catch every single tidbit at PAX personally or even that Massively could nab every granular morsel of the SWTOR pie. However, unlike some MMORPG communities, our TOR community isn't limited to just one site for all of its information. In fact, PAX East 2011 was probably the biggest showing of SWTOR fansites of any convention.

This week, I'm going to take a break from reporting news myself and instead give you a taste of some of the news that was released this week from other sites. As I've said before, I don't expect you to have read or to follow every site that is reporting on The Old Republic. In fact, I think that would burn most people out. However, there are great reporters on other sites, and I think it would be a mistake if I didn't let the Massively audience in on some of their great work.

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Community news round-up

MassivelyHyperspace Beacon: Community news round-up originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 22 Mar 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AskAJediBioWarecorellian-run-radiocory-butlerDaniel-Ericksondarth-haterdavid-bassEAElectronic-ArtsfeaturedHall-Hoodjames-ohlenLucasArtsMos-Eisley-Radiopaxpax-2011pax-eastpax-east-2011Star-Warsstar-wars-the-old-republicStephen-Reidswtorthe-old-republictorTOROcastTue, 22 Mar 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hyperspace Beacon: Sithing up for PAX East]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/08/hyperspace-beacon-sithing-up-for-pax-east/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/08/hyperspace-beacon-sithing-up-for-pax-east/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/08/hyperspace-beacon-sithing-up-for-pax-east/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

If you haven't been paying attention, then you wouldn't know that Star Wars: The Old Republic is going to make a huge appearance at PAX East this year. However, unlike past appearances, this presentation is all about giving the fans a first-hand experience with the game. The SWTOR community team has promised Flashpoints, Jedi classes, and origin worlds that the fans can see, hear, touch, and feel. For a fan who has been following the game since before October of 2008, this is far more exciting than any on-stage performance.

With all of the hoopla, it may be difficult to know every single thing that is going on. And as your guide through the vastness of hyperspace, I should give you a guideline so you do not miss a vital piece of the event. Follow me after the cut for a breakdown of the planned events and some suggestions for things to do while attending PAX.

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Sithing up for PAX East

MassivelyHyperspace Beacon: Sithing up for PAX East originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 08 Mar 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BioWaredamion-schubertdaniel-ericksondavid-bassEAElectronic-ArtsfeaturedflashpointHands-onjames-ohlenJediJedi-ConsularJedi-KnightLucasArtsPAXpax-eastpax-east-2011Star-Warsstar-wars-the-old-republicStephen-ReidSWTORTaral-vthe-old-republicTOrTue, 08 Mar 2011 15:00:00 EST