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[BioWare founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk announce retirement]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/18/bioware-founders-ray-muzyka-and-greg-zeschuk-announce-retirement/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/18/bioware-founders-ray-muzyka-and-greg-zeschuk-announce-retirement/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/18/bioware-founders-ray-muzyka-and-greg-zeschuk-announce-retirement/#commentsFiled under: , ,

BioWare founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk announce retirement
The doctors... are out. BioWare announced that Dr. Ray Muzyka and Dr. Greg Zeschuk, co-founders of the studio, are retiring from the gaming biz. The two have been instrumental in the creation of many hit RPGs, from Baldur's Gate to Mass Effect. For us MMO fans, they're best-known for helming the ship that brought us Star Wars: The Old Republic.

The two are taking a break, perhaps indefinitely, from game creation and management. Muzyka is looking to engage in charities and social work, while Zeschuk is going to dive into projects involving craft beer.

"This has been an incredibly difficult decision to make; after thinking about it for many months, I made the decision to retire from videogames back in early April 2012 -- at that time I provided six months' notice to EA, to help enable a solid transition for my teams at BioWare," Muzyka wrote in his farewell letter.

"This decision isn't without significant pain and regret, but it's also something I know I need to do, for myself and my family. I've reached an unexpected point in my life where I no longer have the passion that I once did for the company, for the games, and for the challenge of creation," Zeschuk said in his.

The two maintain that BioWare is in good hands and will continue to excel going forward.

MassivelyBioWare founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk announce retirement originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Sep 2012 14:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>baldurs-gatebiowarebreakingeaea-biowareelectronic-artsgreg-zeschuklucasartsmass-effectray-muzykaretirementsci-fistar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicsubsubscription-feeswtorthe-old-republictorTue, 18 Sep 2012 14:44:00 EST<![CDATA[Ultima Forever opens the doors to Druids]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/08/03/ultima-forever-opens-the-doors-to-druids/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/08/03/ultima-forever-opens-the-doors-to-druids/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/08/03/ultima-forever-opens-the-doors-to-druids/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Ultima Forever will have Druid class
While it might not be a full-fledged MMO, Ultima Forever remains on our radar due to its heritage and studio backing. Executive Producer Jeff Skalski revealed a few more details about the title, including the third class to join the character roster.

The as-of-yet unrevealed class is a Druid, who will take her place alongside the Mage and Fighter. "She's an interesting one," Skalski said, "but unfortunately at this time we like to hold back on the details behind her for a little longer. I will however say there will be five additional classes beyond these three that we plan to launch every few months following launch."

Skalski said that Ultima Forever takes place 21 years after Ultima IV and has a Lady British on the throne of Britannia ("We wanted to be respectful to Richard and his rights," he explained). BioWare's skill as a spinner of yarns will be on full display as well: "At its core is a story of a journey with choice. The eight virtues are threaded throughout the game and your actions will dictate how you progress those virtues."

MassivelyUltima Forever opens the doors to Druids originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 Aug 2012 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowareclassclassesdruideaea-biowareelectronic-artsexclusivef2pfeaturedfree-to-playinterviewinterviewsjeff-skalskilady-britishpreviewpreviewsultimaultima-foreverFri, 03 Aug 2012 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EA's Paul Barnett: Ultima Forever reboot is not an MMO]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/07/12/eas-paul-barnett-ultima-forever-reboot-is-not-an-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/07/12/eas-paul-barnett-ultima-forever-reboot-is-not-an-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/07/12/eas-paul-barnett-ultima-forever-reboot-is-not-an-mmo/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

EA's Paul Barnett Ultima Forever reboot is not an MMO
So about this Ultima Forever thing. It's a new game from EA and BioWare, and it's currently in alpha testing. We spoke with BioWare creative director Paul Barnett by phone last night to get a heads-up on this morning's official announcement and press release.

The game is coming to both PC and iPad platforms courtesy of a thin-client download. The full title is Ultima Forever: Quest for the Avatar, and gameplay consists primarily of four-person parties and various dungeon crawls set in the world of Britannia.

"We're doing what BioWare does well, and we're doing it on an iPad, and the PC, for a more casual player," Barnett said.

Did we mention that the game is free? Barnett told us that EA-BioWare is committed to thoroughly exploring the industry's new business model darling. "Here we are: We're going to give you all this stuff, it costs a lot of money to make, and it's really beautiful, so how the hell do we make any money out of it?"

Continue reading EA's Paul Barnett: Ultima Forever reboot is not an MMO

MassivelyEA's Paul Barnett: Ultima Forever reboot is not an MMO originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 12 Jul 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowareeaea-biowareelectronic-artsexclusivef2pfeaturedfree-to-playinterviewinterviewspaul-barnettpreviewpreviewsultimaultima-foreverThu, 12 Jul 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: The inevitable Mass Effect MMO]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/13/the-soapbox-the-inevitability-of-a-mass-effect-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/13/the-soapbox-the-inevitability-of-a-mass-effect-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/13/the-soapbox-the-inevitability-of-a-mass-effect-mmo/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Mass Effect - The Normandy (SR1)
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.

I don't know about you, but I've yet to play Mass Effect 3. This is not by choice, mind you, and now that I've returned from the wilds of last week's GDC, it's time to settle in for another 30-hour tour with Shepard and company.

What does this have to do with MMOs? Well, nothing really, except that BioWare hasn't exactly closed the door on a Mass Effect title. On the contrary, the company's dynamic doctor duo have hinted at the fact that this, ahem, theoretical game would need to be somewhat different from the firm's maiden MMO voyage.

At this point I think an ME MMO is inevitable, so join me after the cut to discuss whether BioWare can really break the mold with its second effort as well as what that effort could look like.

Continue reading The Soapbox: The inevitable Mass Effect MMO

MassivelyThe Soapbox: The inevitable Mass Effect MMO originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Mar 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebioware-comfort-zonecomfort-zonecutscenesdesignea-biowareeditorialelectronic-artsfeaturedfourth-pillargreg-zeschukmass-effectmass-effect-mmommo-comfort-zonemmo-industrymmo-storyop-edopinionplayer-contentplayer-generated-contentpossibility-spacerantrantsray-muzykasandboxsandparksci-fisoapboxsoapbox-jef-reahardstorythe-fourth-pillarthe-soapboxthemeparkuser-generated-contentTue, 13 Mar 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SWTOR's lead PvP designer answers community questions]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/01/swtors-lead-pvp-designer-answers-community-questions/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/01/swtors-lead-pvp-designer-answers-community-questions/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/01/swtors-lead-pvp-designer-answers-community-questions/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Star Wars: The Old Republic - PvP battle
Star Wars: The Old Republic's launch may be old news in Europe and North America, but our friends down under are just now getting a chance to partake of BioWare's first foray into the MMO space.

Fan site Toroz.com cornered lead PvP designer Gabe Amatangelo for an extensive interview, the bulk of the questions for which came direct from the Oceanic community. The audio is spotty in a couple of places, but the questions have also been transcribed below the embed. Among the queries are bits about DPS meters, general thoughts on the state of warzones, and ongoing issues with kill-trading. Head past the break for the full interview.

Continue reading SWTOR's lead PvP designer answers community questions

MassivelySWTOR's lead PvP designer answers community questions originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It's probably not set on Taris, but doesn't the planet look kind of pretty from this art?
Drew Karpyshyn, a lead writer for Star Wars: The Old Republic and the author of the tie-in novel Revan, is no longer with BioWare. That's old news. What might be somewhat more surprising news is that he is still penning novels for the game, with new information about the second novel having finally surfaced from a Facebook posting by Del Ray Books. If you've been eagerly awaiting more details about the bridge between Knights of the Old Republic and the MMO's setting, it's your lucky day.

Titled Annihilation, the novel will focus on agent Theron Shan and his companion Teff'ith as they investigate an Imperial counterattack spearheaded by an apprentice of Darth Malgus. The posting goes on to confirm that the novel is currently on target for release on November 13th of this year. So if you can't get enough of your story in the game, it looks like it won't be too much longer until you can get even more story out of game as well.

MassivelyDrew Karpyshyn set to pen another Star Wars: The Old Republic novel originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebioware-austinbioware-mythicbooksdel-ray-booksdrew-karpyshyneaea-biowareelectronic-artsfictiongame-fictionsnewsnovelsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-old-republictie-in-novelstorWed, 29 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SWTOR launches in the Asia Pacific region]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/29/swtor-launches-in-the-asia-pacific-region/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/29/swtor-launches-in-the-asia-pacific-region/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/29/swtor-launches-in-the-asia-pacific-region/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Kanga-Jedi
Jury-rigged methods to create an Oceanic server are needed no longer: Star Wars: The Old Republic has officially launched -- a day early! -- in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, and Singapore. BioWare is offering both the standard and digital deluxe version (the latter through Origin) for sale to interested space jockeys. The prices for both the client and subscriptions are in step with what we've seen from the North American and European product.

Asia Pacific players who not only jump on board but either subscribe or use a 60-day game card by the end of April will also receive a Founder's Medal, which grants an in-game title.

BioWare is aware that many players in these countries have already begun to play on NA servers, and as such the studio is offering a "limited-time opportunity" to transfer for free to a local server in late April. Entire guild transfers, however, will not be possible. The SWTOR FAQ page has more information about the transfer process and payment methods available.

MassivelySWTOR launches in the Asia Pacific region originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>asia-pacificasia-pacific-launchbiowarecharacter-transfersea-biowarefounders-medalfree-transferslaunchoceaniaoceanicoceanic-launchserver-transfersstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorWed, 29 Feb 2012 08:30:00 EST<![CDATA[BioWare doctors discuss Mass Effect MMO]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/27/bioware-doctors-discuss-mass-effect-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/27/bioware-doctors-discuss-mass-effect-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/27/bioware-doctors-discuss-mass-effect-mmo/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Mass Effect - Commander Shephard
The fast-approaching Mass Effect 3 hype bomb doesn't have much to do with MMOs, except maybe it does. Gamespot cornered BioWare doctors Greg Zeschuk and Ray Muzyka and asked the duo point-blank about a Mass Effect MMO, and the answer might surprise you.

"It's daunting, but the neat thing is it would lend itself to a different type of gameplay. It's fun to think about," Zeschuk told the website. Does that mean that the so-called fourth pillar of MMO story won't factor as heavily into the theoretical title as it does in Star Wars: The Old Republic?

It's anyone guess at this point, but Muzyka offers a further fanboy nugget that hints at the possibility of a new direction for BioWare MMOs. "When you deliver a game, and you deliver it for a player, you have to capture what they think is the possibility space," he explains. "You need to let them do everything they think they should do, and you can't block them from doing anything they think they should be able to do. You have to nail all the features and content that should be in that possibility space."

MassivelyBioWare doctors discuss Mass Effect MMO originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 27 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowareea-biowareElectronic-Artsgreg-zeschukinterviewmass-effectmass-effect-mmoray-muzykasci-fiMon, 27 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Another round of Star Wars: The Old Republic questions answered by the developers]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/24/another-round-of-star-wars-the-old-republic-questions-answered/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/24/another-round-of-star-wars-the-old-republic-questions-answered/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/24/another-round-of-star-wars-the-old-republic-questions-answered/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Because fans are PROBING for answers! Get it?
It's been two months since Star Wars: The Old Republic launched, and players have some questions. So it's a good thing that the development team is still hosting a weekly question-and-answer session for the community, with the latest installment addressing several new concerns about future updates. Among the answers are new features that will be coming with the second major patch, including animation adjustments for cross-faction parity and tweaks to docking at planets with orbital stations such as Tython and Korriban.

There are also plans for players to gain the ability to roll on equipment specifically for companions; the Need option will be disabled unless the item in question is designed for your advanced class. Amidst all of the good news, however, there is some bad in the sense that new ship models and customization are apparently on the table -- but for much further in the future. Take a look at the full list of answers if you're interested in seeing what players can expect for new features in the near future and the slightly further future.

MassivelyAnother round of Star Wars: The Old Republic questions answered by the developers originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebioware-mythiccommunitycommunity-questionseaea-biowareelectronic-artsfuture-patchesfuture-updatesnewspatchesq-and-aquestions-and-answersstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-old-republictorupdatesFri, 24 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[BioWare: Average SWTOR play session tops four hours]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/24/bioware-average-swtor-play-session-tops-four-hours/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/24/bioware-average-swtor-play-session-tops-four-hours/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/24/bioware-average-swtor-play-session-tops-four-hours/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Star Wars: The Old Republic - Twi'lek Smuggler girl
Star Wars: The Old Republic players are consuming game content in four- to six-hour sessions on average, according to Kotaku and BioWare bigwig Greg Zeschuk. "When they play, their sessions are absurd," he said recently.

Zeschuk goes on to say both that the retention is a sign of the title's addictive "just-one-more" gameplay and that the firm is pulling an "intense amount of analytics and telemetry" from the title.

Finally, he hints at the theory that most SWTOR players are happy due to a general drop in forum tomfoolery. "You can tell when things are going really well in the game," Zeschuk explains. "The amount of forum chatter drops. People don't go to forums. They just play."

Take that as you will, and let us know how long your average SWTOR session lasts.

MassivelyBioWare: Average SWTOR play session tops four hours originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>analyticsbiowareeaea-biowareElectronic-Artsgreg-zeschukinterviewmetricsmmo-industrysci-fistar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-old-republictorFri, 24 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SWTOR devs leaving BioWare to make indie game]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/20/swtor-devs-leaving-bioware-to-make-indie-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/20/swtor-devs-leaving-bioware-to-make-indie-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/20/swtor-devs-leaving-bioware-to-make-indie-game/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Star Wars - The Old Republic - Coruscant traffic
What's next for BioWare's Arnie Jorgensen, Alex Thomas, and John Watson? A new RPG/RTS hybrid called The Banner Saga, according to Kotaku.

The trio spent the past half decade slaving away on Star Wars: The Old Republic, and now they're striking out on their own to make an indie title described as "roleplaying meets turn-based strategy, wrapped into an adventure miniseries about vikings."

Watson was SWTOR's lead combat programmer, while Thomas and Jorgensen filled the senior environment artist and lead concept artist roles, respectively. The trio has formed an indie studio called Stoic, and the company's maiden offering is apparently "coming soon."

MassivelySWTOR devs leaving BioWare to make indie game originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 20 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alex-thomasarnie-jorgensenbiowaredooooooooomea-biowareElectronic-Artsindiejohn-watsonrpgrtsstar-wars-the-old-republicstoicstoic-studioswtorthe-banner-sagathe-old-republicMon, 20 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Wars: The Old Republic to launch in the Asia Pacific region on March 1st]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/14/star-wars-the-old-republic-to-launch-in-the-asia-pacific-region/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/14/star-wars-the-old-republic-to-launch-in-the-asia-pacific-region/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/14/star-wars-the-old-republic-to-launch-in-the-asia-pacific-region/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

If you play Republic, get used to this art.
On launch day, fans of Star Wars: The Old Republic were able to start logging into the game simultaneously across the world... assuming "the world" meant North America and Europe. The Pacific regions were unfortunately deferred to a later launch date, something that provoked some ire from fans in that area. However, the wait is now over for an official launch day. A launch of March 1st has been announced for Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, and Hong Kong.

Naturally, there are fans in those regions who would prefer to play on regional servers but have already started play on existing servers via imported copies of the game. BioWare is promising that players in these regions will be able to transfer characters for free for a limited time following the launch date, allowing everyone to move to regional servers if desired. The game is also available for pre-order now, so if you're in the affected region and want a copy, best take a look at stores near you for order options.

MassivelyStar Wars: The Old Republic to launch in the Asia Pacific region on March 1st originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>asiaaustraliabiowareeaea-biowareelectronic-artsglobal-launcheshong-konglaunch-regionslauncheslocalizationmmo-industrynew-zealandnewspacificregional-launchesregionssingaporestar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-old-republictorTue, 14 Feb 2012 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Wars: The Old Republic lets you make a holocall to the first guild summit]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/13/star-wars-the-old-republic-lets-you-make-a-holocall-to-the-firs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/13/star-wars-the-old-republic-lets-you-make-a-holocall-to-the-firs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/13/star-wars-the-old-republic-lets-you-make-a-holocall-to-the-firs/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

No word on whether or not said holocall will allow you to get all the Social Points you're owed.
Maybe you want to head down to the first guild summit for Star Wars: The Old Republic but just can't quite fit a trip to Austin into your budget at the moment. The bad news is that no matter how awesome your guild is, BioWare is not going to provide you a private jet. The good news is that you can still get some of the impact of the event, as portions of the event will apparently be available via livestream for those who can't attend in person.

Watching the event rather than attending might sound like a weak compromise, but according to the official announcement, players watching via livestream will be able to participate in some of the event discussions. It also looks like the streams will be covering the most important elements and highlight the developer presentations and feedback discussions. So you might not be able to take part physically in the events, but you can still get some of the feel.

MassivelyStar Wars: The Old Republic lets you make a holocall to the first guild summit originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 13 Feb 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebioware-mythiceaea-biowareelectronic-artsguild-summitlivestreamplayer-eventsreal-world-eventsspecial-eventsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorswtor-guild-summitthe-old-repubilctorMon, 13 Feb 2012 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[BioWare kicks off Star Wars: The Old Republic Q&A Fridays]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/bioware-kicks-off-star-wars-the-old-republic-qanda-fridays/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/bioware-kicks-off-star-wars-the-old-republic-qanda-fridays/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/bioware-kicks-off-star-wars-the-old-republic-qanda-fridays/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Perhaps Jedi can finally get this armor. And the chance to put hoods down.
When BioWare first announced the addition of a regular community Q&A feature for Star Wars: The Old Republic, the team stated that each session would answer about 10 questions. However, the first installment has gone up with a grand total of 15 and answers more questions about the Legacy system. Patch 1.2 will bring in the first set of rewards, allowing players to combine races and classes in new ways, but the company promises there will be more enhancements and expansions for future patches.

In fact, the next major patch is will bring several requested features. A new same-faction Warzone, the Hue to Chest feature, Medium and Heavy social armor, and guild banks are all on the table for the update. For players more concerned with the immediate state of the game, there are also answers about the best ways to submit feedback and how the team prioritizes which bugs to fix. It's certainly a good place to kick off the series, and community members should find something to be pleased with in the answers.

MassivelyBioWare kicks off Star Wars: The Old Republic Q&A Fridays originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebioware-mythiccommunity-q-and-aea-biowarepatchpatchespreviewsq-and-aquestions-and-answersstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorswtor-patch-1.2the-old-republictorupdatesFri, 10 Feb 2012 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[BioWare bringing weekly blogs and video guides for Star Wars: The Old Republic]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/03/bioware-bringing-weekly-blogs-and-video-guides-for-star-wars-th/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/03/bioware-bringing-weekly-blogs-and-video-guides-for-star-wars-th/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/03/bioware-bringing-weekly-blogs-and-video-guides-for-star-wars-th/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Video guides to being a Sith mostly include a whole lot of pictures of puppies for you to scream at.
Bringing someone new into the world of an MMORPG can be a difficult task. BioWare is trying to make it easy for MMO newcomers to get into Star Wars: The Old Republic, and to that end the team has launched the first of a series of video guides to playing the game. The first video, narrated by Social Media Coordinator Eric Musco, covers starting fresh in the game, creating a character, and taking part in your first conversations.

Of course, you might be an old hand at playing the game by now. (If not, the video is embedded just past the cut.) For those players not in need of a helping hand, BioWare has also announced the launch of two weekly features -- a blog post rounding up all developer posts to the forums over the prior week, and a Q&A session that will pull 10 questions from a community thread to be answered each week. So even if you don't need help getting into the game, you can have a little extra guidance about what's going on behind the scenes.

Continue reading BioWare bringing weekly blogs and video guides for Star Wars: The Old Republic

MassivelyBioWare bringing weekly blogs and video guides for Star Wars: The Old Republic originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebioware-mythiccommunitycommunity-blogdevelopmentdevelopment-questionseaea-biowareelectronic-artseric-muscoguidesq-and-astar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-old-republictorvideovideo-guidevideosFri, 03 Feb 2012 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Conan O'Brien shows off SWTOR same-sex footage]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/03/conan-obrien-shows-off-swtor-same-sex-footage/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/03/conan-obrien-shows-off-swtor-same-sex-footage/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/03/conan-obrien-shows-off-swtor-same-sex-footage/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Yoda and Starkiller
Leave it to Conan O'Brien to offer up the funniest take on Star Wars: The Old Republic's same-sex relationship controversy (which, incidentally, isn't that much of a controversy until it's actually in the game!).

The late-night talk show host treated viewers to some "exclusive footage" -- apparently authorized by George Lucas himself (wink, nudge) -- that pairs up Star Wars icons like Darth Vader and Boba Fett and Yoda and Galen Marek (also known as Starkiller). Oh, and wait until the Family Research Council gets a load of Han Solo and Chewbacca. Check it out after the break.

Continue reading Conan O'Brien shows off SWTOR same-sex footage

MassivelyConan O'Brien shows off SWTOR same-sex footage originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowareconanconan-obrieneaea-biowareElectronic-Artssame-sexsame-sex-controversysame-sex-relationshipssci-fistar-wars-the-old-republicswtorswtor-same-sexthe-old-republictorvideoFri, 03 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Subscriber numbers lead to a new hope for Electronic Arts stock]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/02/subscriber-numbers-lead-to-a-new-hope-for-electronic-arts-stock/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/02/subscriber-numbers-lead-to-a-new-hope-for-electronic-arts-stock/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/02/subscriber-numbers-lead-to-a-new-hope-for-electronic-arts-stock/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Okay, it's more of a continuation of an existing hope. You can live with the play on words, Justin does them all the time.
It's official: As of yesterday, Star Wars: The Old Republic has 1.7 million active subscribers and has sold 2 million copies. That's good news for fans of the game, but it's also good news for both BioWare and Electronic Arts. Apparently, it's seen as very good news for Electronic Arts, as the company's stock has gone up by 6.1% in the announcement's wake. The stock closed on Wednesday at $18.44 a share and closed today at $19.56, an appreciable gain for the company and a sign of good health.

This is sharp contrast to some of the early analyst responses before subscriber numbers were released, as well as some suspicions that the game was falling after a few first-patch fumbles. Whether the game will rise further or stabilize where it is remains to be seen, but it's certainly making a strong showing out of the gate, and the financial sector is taking note.

[Thanks to Robert for the tip!]

MassivelySubscriber numbers lead to a new hope for Electronic Arts stock originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebioware-mythiceaea-biowareelectronic-artsfinanciallegalmmo-industrystar-wars-the-old-republicstock-marketstockssubscriber-numberssubscribersswtorThu, 02 Feb 2012 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[BioWare goes bounty hunting for great guild leaders]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/01/bioware-goes-bounty-hunting-for-great-guild-leaders/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/01/bioware-goes-bounty-hunting-for-great-guild-leaders/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/01/bioware-goes-bounty-hunting-for-great-guild-leaders/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

SWTOR
Aboard the Empire's great warship BioWare Austin, the Star Wars: The Old Republic community team has put a bounty on passionate leaders for the first SWTOR Guild Summit on March 4th through 6th. The summit is designed to facilitate direct communication between guild leaders and the developers as well as provide a lucky few with an advance sneak peek at some upcoming features.

The best thing about the summit is that any qualifying guild leader interested in helping to shape the game's future can apply to be a part of the summit. The official website has an application form up, although those who want to be considered for the summit need to fill it out by February 10th.

BioWare stated that it has already invited some guilds and that the remainder of the summit will be invite-only due to the limited size of the event. It's important to note that while the event itself is free, attending leaders have to assume the responsibility for transportation, room, and board.

MassivelyBioWare goes bounty hunting for great guild leaders originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Star Wars: The Old Republic - some smuggler who looks like John Marsden
Ever wonder if MMO devs play the MMO they're developing? Apparently the answer is yes in the case of Star Wars: The Old Republic. A new dev blog by BioWare executive producer Rich Vogel minces few words on that particular subject. "Every single one of us on the development team plays the game, and we see the same issues you do and where we need to expand," Vogel writes.

The rest of the wall o' text isn't quite as illuminating. Vogel starts by defining bugs and exploits, and he offers a few generalities in regards to BioWare's ability to quickly respond to both types of issues.

It's worth a read if you're heavily invested in Star Wars: The Old Republic, and you'll find it on the game's official site.

MassivelyBioWare: All our devs play SWTOR originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bugsdev-blogeaea-biowareElectronic-Artsexploitsrich-vogelsci-fistar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-old-republictorTue, 31 Jan 2012 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[SWTOR pushes out ability delay improvements with promises of more to come]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/24/swtor-pushes-out-ability-delay-improvements-with-promises-of-mor/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/24/swtor-pushes-out-ability-delay-improvements-with-promises-of-mor/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/24/swtor-pushes-out-ability-delay-improvements-with-promises-of-mor/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

SWTOR
BioWare wants to let you know that Star Wars: The Old Republic is sorry it hasn't been as responsive to your needs lately, and that after weeks of counseling (and back-room coding), its fledgling MMO is prepared to make up with you.

Principal Lead Combat Designer Georg Zoeller announced today that the infamous ability delay should be clearing up nicely, thanks to an overnight 1.1.0b patch. He says BioWare didn't want to wait until the next big patch to roll it out, opting to instead deliver it as quickly to players as possible.

However, Zoeller also notes that the team "is not done improving combat responsiveness" and has several other tweaks and fixes in the work for patch 1.1.1. Other areas of improvement that BioWare is investigating include UI clarity, making cast bars more accurate, and rectifying timing differences for specific abilities and animations.

MassivelySWTOR pushes out ability delay improvements with promises of more to come originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1.1.0b1.1.0b-patch1.1.1ability-delayability-delay-fixbiowarebug-fixea-biowarefixGeorg-Zoellerpatchpatch-1.1.0bpatch-1.1.1star-wars-the-old-republicswtorTue, 24 Jan 2012 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Force is with SWTOR: EA stock bounces back, budget revealed]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/20/the-force-is-with-swtor-ea-stock-bounces-back-budget-revealed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/20/the-force-is-with-swtor-ea-stock-bounces-back-budget-revealed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/20/the-force-is-with-swtor-ea-stock-bounces-back-budget-revealed/#commentsFiled under: , ,

SWTOR
It seems like everyone is obsessed with the exact amount of money EA spent creating its most expensive title ever, but the Los Angeles Times may have a final number to end the discussion: Apparently, Star Wars: The Old Republic cost $200 million. Other interesting details from the Times' investigation into what it calls a "galactic gamble" include the fact that it was made by 800 people on four continents with an additional 1,000 voice actors (doing three languages) handling 4,000 characters.

The project was such a massive undertaking that BioWare co-founder Greg Zeschuk likened it to "teaching elephants to do ballet." One of the interesting details of this behind-the-scenes expose is that BioWare said that certain movies and TV miniseries influenced class storylines, such as Big Trouble in Little China for the Smuggler and Band of Brothers for the Trooper.

There's also some good news following yesterday's word of EA's stock hit. MarketWatch reports that several brokers have defended the title, resulting in a 2% bounce back in EA's stock. As part of that, a Pacific Crest analyst raised his predictions of quarter sales for SWTOR from 1.5 to 2.2 million, with 800,000 subscribers. Another analyst claims that over two million units of SWTOR have been sold since launch with an expectation that 75% to 90% of players will stay on as paid subscribers following the first free month.

MassivelyThe Force is with SWTOR: EA stock bounces back, budget revealed originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 20 Jan 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>band-of-brothersbig-trouble-in-little-chinabiowarebudgeteaea-biowareelectronic-artsGreg-Zeschukla-timeslos-angeles-timesmarketwatchpacific-creststar-wars-the-old-republicstockstock-analystsstock-brokersswtorvoice-actorsFri, 20 Jan 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Taun-taunts: Damion Schubert teases future SWTOR vanity pets]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/20/taun-taunts-damion-schubert-teases-future-swtor-vanity-pets/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/20/taun-taunts-damion-schubert-teases-future-swtor-vanity-pets/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/20/taun-taunts-damion-schubert-teases-future-swtor-vanity-pets/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

SWTOR
Recently, Star Wars: The Old Republic blog Inquisitor's Roadhouse got in touch with BioWare Lead System Designer Damion Schubert to talk about the game's "other" companions: vanity pets. While they may not be the fifth pillar of gameplay, vanity pets in SWTOR are desired by many collectors -- and Schubert has word that more are on the way.

While Schubert admits that vanity pets, such as the Hutt Observer and Mouse Droid, weren't at the top of BioWare's priority list in beta, he said the team knew they wanted them as part of the launched game. There are only a handful of pets in the game at this time, but more are to come in SWTOR's next big update. "I don't want to give out too big a hint, but they smell kinda bad on the outside," Schubert teased.

He confirmed that currently pets are not limited by faction, although there are some that are restricted to dark and light side players. Schubert said that BioWare will be using vanity pets as rewards for many aspects of gameplay, including the social and legacy systems.

Getting them in the future may be more complicated in a good way, however: "One of the things we want to do a lot more of is adding items that take a bit of communal exploration to discover - we're well aware of how popular datacrons and the magenta lightsaber crystal are - and minipets is one place where we've identified adding fun things like that could really pay off."

MassivelyTaun-taunts: Damion Schubert teases future SWTOR vanity pets originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 20 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowaredamion-schubertdatacroneaea-biowareinquistors-roadhouselegacy-systemminipetsnon-combat-petssmelly-the-tauntaunsocial-systemstar-wars-the-old-republicswtortauntaunvanity-petsFri, 20 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A WoW player's guide to The Old Republic]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/20/a-wow-players-guide-to-the-old-republic/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/20/a-wow-players-guide-to-the-old-republic/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/20/a-wow-players-guide-to-the-old-republic/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Not pictured: looking up from this point on the map to see several docked battlecruisers. It's unexpectedly impressive.
Whether you're a longtime World of Warcraft player or someone who's just recently tried the game and fallen in love with it, you're probably aware that there are other MMORPGs out there. Recently, the game that's been getting the most press is Star Wars: The Old Republic. And if you've sat down and tried it out as a veteran on World of Warcraft, you probably had some idea of what was going on when you started playing, with the only initial speedbump being the lack of an auto-attack feature.

But there's more to the game than combat and more things that might trip you up in the long run. So Eliot Lefebvre and Matt Daniel are here to help you out with a massive guide to coming into TOR when you're accustomed to the environment of WoW. Take a skip past the break to find out almost everything you'll need to know when converting from the world of Azeroth to the galaxy of Star Wars: The Old Republic.

Continue reading A WoW player's guide to The Old Republic

MassivelyA WoW player's guide to The Old Republic originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 20 Jan 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alignmentbattlegroundsbiowarebioware-eabioware-mythicclassescraftcraftingcrew-skillsea-biowarefeaturedgame-mechanicsguideinstanced-pvpmechanical-guidesopinionpvppvp-rewardspvp-systemssocialsocial-pointsspacespace-combatstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorsystemsthe-old-republictorwarzonesworld-of-warcraftwowwow-player-guideFri, 20 Jan 2012 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Wars: The Old Republic posts new video for future content updates [Updated]]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/19/star-wars-the-old-republic-posts-new-video-for-future-content-u/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/19/star-wars-the-old-republic-posts-new-video-for-future-content-u/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/19/star-wars-the-old-republic-posts-new-video-for-future-content-u/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Maybe he's just a human Sith with sensitive eyes?
It's safe to say the past two days haven't been the best for the nascent Star Wars: The Old Republic, with its bugs, breaks, and bearish concerns. That doesn't mean that BioWare is packing it in and heading for the hills, however; the studio has just put out a new video detailing the content slated for the game in the coming months. Director James Ohlen lays out several new additions planned for the near future, several of which are features players had been asking for.

PvP will see the addition of a new Warzone as well as an overall ranking system for avid PvP players to track personal progress. UI customization is also coming, starting with a fully resizable and reconfigurable layout. And the Legacy system is being rolled out in full, complete with the promise of new races being available as Legacy rewards for the factions. So if you're a Star Wars: The Old Republic fan and have been feeling a bit down with recent news, this might help perk you back up.

[Update: A reader named Jon has tipped us off to an article on Gamesradar in which BioWare's Daniel Erickson confirms that the character in today's video is "definitely a Miraluka Sith," which suggests that the Miraluka may be ported cross-faction as part of the Legacy system rewards.]

MassivelyStar Wars: The Old Republic posts new video for future content updates [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>additionsbioware-mythiccoming-attractionscoming-sooneaea-biowareelectronic-artsimprovementsjames-ohlenpatchesstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-old-republictortrailertrailersuiupcoming-patchesvideovideoswarzonesThu, 19 Jan 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SWTOR's new patch makes a mess, BioWare looking into it [Updated]]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/18/swtors-new-patch-makes-a-mess-bioware-looking-into-it/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/18/swtors-new-patch-makes-a-mess-bioware-looking-into-it/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/18/swtors-new-patch-makes-a-mess-bioware-looking-into-it/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Star Wars: The Old Republic - Ilum PvP
Welp, Star Wars: The Old Republic's 1.1 patch has arrived, and it's brought a bit of baggage with it. Imperial PvPers have been taking advantage of faction imbalances to farm hapless Republic players on the level 50 world of Ilum, and BioWare has responded to the resulting outcry with a discussion thread and a plea for sanity.

"We're currently investigating potential issues related to the Ilum open world PvP area post-1.1. We understand that this is a topic of much discussion and we ask that you please direct all discussions to this thread," writes Joveth Gonzalez on the official SWTOR forums.

The devs adjusted both daily and weekly missions to require the killing of factional enemies, and they also increased the PvP currency rewards for doing so. As of right now, it's anyone's guess what the fix will entail, and we'll keep our eyes on it as the situation develops.

[Update: BioWare has issued a formal statement, which we've posted in its entirety after the break.]

Continue reading SWTOR's new patch makes a mess, BioWare looking into it [Updated]

MassivelySWTOR's new patch makes a mess, BioWare looking into it [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1.1-patchbiowarebugsea-biowareElectronic-Artsilumjoveth-gonzalezpvpstar-warsstar-wars-galaxiesstar-wars-mmorpgstar-wars-the-old-republicswtortorWed, 18 Jan 2012 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Analyst believes Star Wars: The Old Republic had a $500 million price tag]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/17/analyst-believes-star-wars-the-old-republic-had-a-500-million/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/17/analyst-believes-star-wars-the-old-republic-had-a-500-million/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/17/analyst-believes-star-wars-the-old-republic-had-a-500-million/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Half a billion dollars to choke someone with your mind. Not an awful investment.
Is Star Wars: The Old Republic the next big thing in MMOs? The same old thing in a new shell? Innovative? Routine? Polished? Buggy? Ask seven different people and you'll get nine different opinions. The one thing that everyone can agree on is that the game was expensive, and while most analysts are estimating somewhere between $100-$300 million, analyst Doug Creutz suspects that Electronic Arts has sunk nearly half a billion dollars into the project.

This is in stark contrast to the estimate from analyst Michael Pachter, who targeted the price tag at roughly $80 million when all was said and done. Unfortunately, the precise cost won't be known unless EA decides to release the game's official budget and how much was spent on development, which seems unlikely. What is certain is that the performance of Star Wars: The Old Republic is going to be under close scrutiny over the coming months among both fans of the game and fans of financial speculation.

[Thanks to Ben for the tip!]

MassivelyAnalyst believes Star Wars: The Old Republic had a $500 million price tag originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Jan 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>analystbiowarebioware-mythiccostdevelopment-costeaea-biowareelectronic-artsfinancial-analystinvestmentmmo-industryprice-tagstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-old-republictorTue, 17 Jan 2012 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[That palette is fully operational: Jeff Dobson opens up about SWTOR's artistic side]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/17/that-palette-is-fully-operational-jeff-dobson-opens-up-about-sw/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/17/that-palette-is-fully-operational-jeff-dobson-opens-up-about-sw/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/17/that-palette-is-fully-operational-jeff-dobson-opens-up-about-sw/#commentsFiled under: , ,

SWTOR
Story may get all the press when it comes to Star Wars: The Old Republic, but the truth is that the final product was a team collaboration between many departments -- including the artists. Art Director Jeff Dobson sat down with Republic Trooper to talk about the process of shaping each of the game's many worlds and locales with BioWare's signature flair.

It might astound you to realize just how many different type of artists work on MMOs such as SWTOR. Dobson said the team has "concept artists, character artists, environment artists, VFX artists, GUI artists, animators, and technical artists. The world design team is worth a mention here as well, because they participate a lot in the initial visual development of an area." And that doesn't include the separate teams that did the cinematic cutscenes or pre-rendered cinematics!

Dobson said that the biggest challenge for the art team was the scale of the project. "The Old Republic has too many assets to even really take stock of how much there is. It is a lot of work to simply track this many assets as they go through the creation pipeline," he said.

MassivelyThat palette is fully operational: Jeff Dobson opens up about SWTOR's artistic side originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>artart-teamartistsbiowarecinematiccinematicsconcept-artconcept-artistsea-biowareinterviewjeff-dobsonrepublic-trooperstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorTue, 17 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[First major patch and maintenance delayed for Star Wars: The Old Republic]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/17/first-major-patch-and-maintenance-delayed-for-star-wars-the-old/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/17/first-major-patch-and-maintenance-delayed-for-star-wars-the-old/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/17/first-major-patch-and-maintenance-delayed-for-star-wars-the-old/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

No word on whether or not rakghouls overran the programmers.
Cleared your schedule later today to try out the new content in Star Wars: The Old Republic's first major patch? Well, we hate to disappoint you, but it looks like your adventures against hordes of space zombies will be delayed a little longer. According to an official announcement this morning, the scheduled maintenance has been delayed and patch 1.1 along with it, with the most definitive new information simply being some time next week.

While the announcement doesn't go into details about the rationale, it notes that there were late-surfacing issues uncovered by players on the test realm that required additional maintenance to correct, forcing the team to bring the patch back and polish it a few more times. A definite time will be posted to the community as soon as it's available. It's disappointing, certainly, but the idea of putting out the game's first major patch before the game had even been out of retail release for a month may have been overly ambitious.

MassivelyFirst major patch and maintenance delayed for Star Wars: The Old Republic originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Jan 2012 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>announcementsbiowarebioware-mythicdelayseaea-biowareelectronic-artsmaintenancerise-of-the-rakghoulsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorswtor-patch-1.1the-old-republictorupdateupdatesTue, 17 Jan 2012 07:30:00 EST<![CDATA[James Ohlen hits back against critics, defends SWTOR's innovation]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/12/james-ohlen-hits-back-against-critics-defends-swtors-innovatio/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/12/james-ohlen-hits-back-against-critics-defends-swtors-innovatio/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/12/james-ohlen-hits-back-against-critics-defends-swtors-innovatio/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

SWTOR metacritic
Star Wars: The Old Republic Game Director James Ohlen isn't surprised that the game's received the flak it has from a segment of reviews and fans. In a candid interview with Eurogamer, Ohlen addresses both the issues of being a "big target" for critics and the claims that SWTOR's lacking innovation.

For the most part, players and critics have praised the game, Ohlen shares, and BioWare is seeing an "exceptionally high" desire among its playerbase for continued subscriptions. But was BioWare prepared for the backlash as well? Ohlen says it was: "We knew that there was going to be people who wanted us to fail. But that's just the nature of the game. If you're going to build a huge game and try to go out to a lot of people, you're going to have people who just react poorly."

He does push back hard against claims that SWTOR failed on the innovation front, stating, "We wanted to take the lessons that have been developed in that genre over years and years and years and basically refine them, much like other companies do with other genres. So, I don't know, it's just the way it is, but I don't see us as not being innovative. We're actually a lot more innovative within the MMO space than comparable games in other spaces like the first-person genre, the action genre -- games like that."

MassivelyJames Ohlen hits back against critics, defends SWTOR's innovation originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 12 Jan 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>backlashbiowarecriticea-biowareeurogamerinnovationinnovativejames-ohlenmetacriticmetacritic-scorereviewreview-scoresstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorvideo-game-genresThu, 12 Jan 2012 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[BioWare: 'Gray Jedi' playstyle in SWTOR will reap rewards]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/11/bioware-gray-jedi-playstyle-in-swtor-will-reap-rewards/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/11/bioware-gray-jedi-playstyle-in-swtor-will-reap-rewards/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/11/bioware-gray-jedi-playstyle-in-swtor-will-reap-rewards/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

SWTOR
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."

MassivelyBioWare: 'Gray Jedi' playstyle in SWTOR will reap rewards originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Jan 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowaredark-sideea-biowareforcegraygray-jedigray-jedi-playstylegray-side-of-the-forcejolee-bindolight-sideneutralneutralsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorWed, 11 Jan 2012 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Reddit author offers custom SWTOR load screen mod [Updated]]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/10/reddit-author-offers-custom-swtor-load-screen-mod/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/10/reddit-author-offers-custom-swtor-load-screen-mod/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/10/reddit-author-offers-custom-swtor-load-screen-mod/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Is your Star Wars: The Old Republic loading screen getting a bit stale? Have you always wanted to see your character's mug emblazoned with corporate branding from BioWare, Electronic Arts, and that killer old-school Star Wars font?

Look no further than a cackle-worthy mod recently developed by a Reddit user named ranier511. It's basically a layered Photoshop file, ready and waiting for your avatar's closeup. All you have to do is rename it LoadingScreen.jpg and use it to overwrite the image in your Program files/Electronic Arts/Bioware/Star Wars - The Old Republic/swtor/retailclient/LoadingScreensfolder. PC Gamer has a few examples to get your creative juices flowing, and you'll find the original thread on Reddit.

[Update: Goldnames on the official forums have warned that mods like these can corrupt your game installation, so install them at your own risk!]

MassivelyReddit author offers custom SWTOR load screen mod [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Jan 2012 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowareea-biowareelectronic-artsloading-screenmodssci-fistar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-old-republictorTue, 10 Jan 2012 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[MV Guide: January 9-15, 2012]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/09/mv-guide-january-9-15-2012/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/09/mv-guide-january-9-15-2012/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/09/mv-guide-january-9-15-2012/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Need For Speed World
MV Guide is a weekly rundown of the MMO gaming events planned on Massively TV.

Every week, the Massively staff logs in to play various MMOs live and in person, and we'd love for you to drop by the channel and visit. We have a combination of regular weekly games and new surprises, so you'll find a variety of titles to take a look at. During our streamed events, you can participate in the live chat, ask questions to learn about the game, and simply spend some time with Massively staff and readers. (Of course, streaming is subject to the whims of outside forces like server-side gremlins once in a while.)

Follow along after the jump to see what's on this week's schedule!

Continue reading MV Guide: January 9-15, 2012

MassivelyMV Guide: January 9-15, 2012 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>all-points-bulletinall-points-bulletin-reloadedankamaapbapb-reloadedbiowareccpchampions-onlinedc-universe-onlinedcuodie2niteea-biowareeve-onlinefallen-earthfeaturedg1gamersfirstglitchglobal-agendahi-rez-studiosjagexleague-of-legendslindenlablivestreamlivestreamingmv-guidemv-tvneed-for-speed-worldnfswperfect-world-entertainmentpweriotriot-gamesrunescapesecond-lifesoeSony-Online-Entertainmentsquare-enixstar-wars-the-old-republicswtortiny-specktorvanguardVanguard-Saga-of-HeroeswakfuMon, 09 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Global Chat: January 1-7, 2012]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/08/global-chat-january-1-7-2012/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/08/global-chat-january-1-7-2012/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/08/global-chat-january-1-7-2012/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Livestreaming!
We love hearing what the Massively community has to say. What better way to salute the smartest reader opinions and posts than by sharing them in a weekly column? Join us every Sunday morning for Global Chat, where we do just that!

This week we've got a poke at the lighter side of game bugs, some thoughts on development costs and how they affect us in the end, and some compliments (we always love those). Ready to see what they are? Click past the cut and let's get started!

Continue reading Global Chat: January 1-7, 2012

MassivelyGlobal Chat: January 1-7, 2012 originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 08 Jan 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>baby-choo-choobigginbiowarecommenterscommentsdust-514ea-biowareeve-evolvedfeaturedgetdownglobal-chatlaunch-timinglivestreammv-tvnibbanaopinionopinionssoapboxstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorswtor-dance-bugthe-soapboxSun, 08 Jan 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SWTOR's 1.1 patch adds anti-aliasing, level 50 Flashpoint]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/06/swtors-1-1-patch-adds-anti-aliasing-level-50-flashpoint/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/06/swtors-1-1-patch-adds-anti-aliasing-level-50-flashpoint/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/06/swtors-1-1-patch-adds-anti-aliasing-level-50-flashpoint/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Star Wars: The Old Republic - Smuggler freighter, which has little to do with this article other than being cool
Star Wars: The Old Republic's next big update is live on the game's public test shard. BioWare says that the 1.1 patch is chock full of bug fixes and is "the first of many content updates" for the sci-fi MMO.

New stuff includes a level 50 Flashpoint (Kaon Under Siege) and four new bosses for Operation: Karagga's Palace. Also of note is an anti-aliasing option in the preferences menu and a correction for the problems plaguing Kira Carsen's affection conversations. The full patch notes are viewable on the official SWTOR website.

MassivelySWTOR's 1.1 patch adds anti-aliasing, level 50 Flashpoint originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Jan 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1.1-patchbiowarebug-fixesbugsea-biowareElectronic-Artsflashpointkaonkaon-under-siegekaraggas-palacekira-carsenoperation-karaggas-palacesci-fistar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-old-republictorFri, 06 Jan 2012 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Wars: The Old Republic gets into the record books]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/05/star-wars-the-old-republic-gets-into-the-record-books/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/05/star-wars-the-old-republic-gets-into-the-record-books/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/05/star-wars-the-old-republic-gets-into-the-record-books/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

It did not, however, win an award for
It remains to be seen if Star Wars: The Old Republic will set a number of records in its lifetime, but it's already made its way into the Guinness Book of World Records for 2012. At over 200,000 lines of recorded dialogue, the game has scored a record for having the largest amount of voice acting not only for a video game but for any entertainment project. The record appears in the Guinness Book of World Records Gamer's Edition, on the stands now in the US and on sale in the UK on the 19th.

Of course, considering the amount of press the game has received for its voice cast, we suspect this won't come as a huge surprise, but it's interesting to see. The book also includes a list of the best Star Wars games in the franchise's history, which unsurprisingly includes Knights of the Old Republic, perhaps a harbinger of SWTOR's future.

MassivelyStar Wars: The Old Republic gets into the record books originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Jan 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebioware-eaeaea-biowareelectronic-artsgame-recordsguinness-book-of-world-recordsnewsrecordsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtortriviaupdatesvoicevoice-actingThu, 05 Jan 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SWTOR goes bug hunting with 1.0.2 and prognosticates PvP improvements]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/05/swtor-goes-bug-hunting-with-1-0-2-and-prognosticates-pvp-improve/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/05/swtor-goes-bug-hunting-with-1-0-2-and-prognosticates-pvp-improve/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/05/swtor-goes-bug-hunting-with-1-0-2-and-prognosticates-pvp-improve/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

SWTOR
With the abundance of bugs and glitches in Star Wars: The Old Republic, fans are looking to James Ohlen's promise of weekly patches to shore up the faults. Yesterday we saw patch 1.0.2 go live with some -- but certainly not all -- of these fixes, as well as an increase in the PvP lockbox rewards and allowing players to emote while mounted.

In addition to yesterday's patch, today BioWare plans to roll out an emergency fix to address a few important issues: players crashing to desktop at character select, a problem with the chat channels in which they would stop functioning for some people, and the now-infamous /getdown bug.

PvP Lead Gabe Amatangelo also emerged from the BioWare fortress to chat about plans for the future of the game's PvP combat. According to Amatangelo, the team is working on level 50 brackets for warzones, vastly improving open world PvP on Ilum, a new same-faction vs. same-faction warzone, team vs. team queuing, ranked warzone matches, and more. He says that to date, over a million warzone matches have been played, with 39% of those matches played being Huttball and the Empire winning 53% of every match fought.

MassivelySWTOR goes bug hunting with 1.0.2 and prognosticates PvP improvements originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebugbug-fixbug-fixesbugsea-biowareemergency-hotfixgabe-amatangelogetdowngetdown-bughotfixhuttballjames-ohlenopen-world-pvppatchpatch-1.0.2pvpstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorwarzonewarzonesThu, 05 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[BioWare's Freed talks Wookiees, relatability, and story-based MMOs]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/04/biowares-freed-talks-wookiees-relatability-and-story-based-mm/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/04/biowares-freed-talks-wookiees-relatability-and-story-based-mm/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/04/biowares-freed-talks-wookiees-relatability-and-story-based-mm/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Princess Leia would just as soon play a wookiee
What's up with the lack of Wookiee player-characters in Star Wars: The Old Republic? BioWare scribe Alexander Freed says it has to do with both development costs and a concept called relatability.

"There are enormous technical obstacles, there is building all the lip synching, all the emotion into the face of the human is incredibly difficult and time consuming, doing that for something like a Wookiee -- and we couldn't half do it, we couldn't let Wookiees be only a third as expressive as humans," Freed explains in an interview at VideoGamer.com. He also touches on the fact that BioWare (and Star Wars) stories have traditionally revolved around human characters due to the ease with which most gamers relate to more familiar avatars.

Freed also mentions TOR's grand scope, and opines that other companies looking to follow BioWare's lead may have a rough time. "Even we didn't know what we were getting into at the start. I think it will be difficult for people to attempt it the same way. I kind of hope they do -- it will be interesting to see," he says.

[Thanks to Emily for the tip!]

MassivelyBioWare's Freed talks Wookiees, relatability, and story-based MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 04 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alexander-freedbiowareeaea-biowareElectronic-Artsid-just-as-soon-play-a-wookieeinterviewsplayer-wookieesrage-of-the-wookieesrelatabilitysci-fistar-wars-the-old-republicstoryswtorthe-old-republictorwookieesWed, 04 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Breakdancing breaks SWTOR enemies' spirits [Updated]]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/04/breakdancing-breaks-swtor-enemies-spirits/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/04/breakdancing-breaks-swtor-enemies-spirits/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/04/breakdancing-breaks-swtor-enemies-spirits/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

SWTOR
We've heard of many a bug and exploit in MMOs over the years, but sometimes there comes along one special case that is so entertaining you can't help but wonder if some mischievous developer planned it on purpose.

Such is the case with Star Wars: The Old Republic's latest glitch, where players busting a groove actually affects combat. According to several sources that confirmed this, by typing /getdown during combat (a dance move) enemies attacking you will be continually interrupted -- including bosses. Perhaps the bad guys were so amazed that players could do the moonwalk that they become stunned out of awe?

If you're hoping to wield your incredible dance powers for either the light or dark side of the Force, know that BioWare is fully aware of this exploit. Considering that the studio removed all mentions of the bug on the forums, we can assume that a fix is coming to the game sooner rather than later.

[Thanks to Kaizlu for the tip!]

[UPDATE: The Reverend Shaw Moore has arrived in SWTOR and accounts are being banned for getting down. Accounts taking advantage of this bug are being sanctioned with the explanation that the offending characters "participated in abusing game mechanics to prevent enemy NPCs from targeting the user", and that "dancing is currently not permitted outside of special Dance Zones."]

[UPDATE #2: BioWare sent us a note saying that the previous update was based on a troll posting to Reddit and that this is a "fake ban email."]

MassivelyBreakdancing breaks SWTOR enemies' spirits [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 04 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebugcheatdancedance-bugdance-exploitea-biowareexploitgetdownglitchmoonwalkstar-wars-the-old-republicswtortargetingWed, 04 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SWTOR UK sales take a dive]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/03/swtor-uk-sales-take-a-dive/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/03/swtor-uk-sales-take-a-dive/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/03/swtor-uk-sales-take-a-dive/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Star Wars: The Old Republic - Coruscant hangar
Just when you thought we couldn't have any more Star Wars: The Old Republic articles (because three out of 15 per day is a lot, amirite?), here's one more for your reading pleasure.

MMOCrunch has sussed out what appears to be a decent-sized drop in TOR's UK sales numbers. According to Chart-Track, BioWare's new MMO fell from the number 10 spot to number 38 in its second week on the market. MMOCrunch speculates that the drop-off in post-holiday shopping is the primary culprit, and we've also yet to see a true advertising blitz like we've seen for games like RIFT and World of Warcraft.

What do you think, Massively folk? Is trouble brewing in a galaxy far, far away, or is it far too early to tell?

MassivelySWTOR UK sales take a dive originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 03 Jan 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowareea-biowareElectronic-Artsmmo-industrysalessales-performancesci-fispeculationstar-wars-mmostar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-old-republictorukuk-salesTue, 03 Jan 2012 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Research firm: SWTOR has 350,000 peak concurrent users]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/03/research-firm-swtor-has-350-000-peak-concurrent-users/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/03/research-firm-swtor-has-350-000-peak-concurrent-users/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/03/research-firm-swtor-has-350-000-peak-concurrent-users/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

How successful is Star Wars: The Old Republic? That's hard to say definitively, but according to Baird Equity Research, BioWare's maiden massively multiplayer voyage is doing just fine. "We view the early success of Star Wars as an indication of a healthy MMO market," said Baird spokesman Colin Sebastian. The firm estimates that TOR has approximately 350,000 peak concurrent users spread across 215 servers (124 in America and 91 in Europe).

That's a far cry from the 491 servers currently in use by World of Warcraft players, and though some analysts and fans expected TOR to compete with Blizzard's subscription king, Cowen and Company says the new title has had "minimal apparent impact" on the market leader.

MassivelyResearch firm: SWTOR has 350,000 peak concurrent users originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 03 Jan 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>baird-equity-researchbiowarebusiness-modelscowen-and-companyea-biowareElectronic-Artspeak-concurrent-usersstar-wars-the-old-republicsubscription-basedswtorthe-old-republictorTue, 03 Jan 2012 10:00:00 EST