BioWare - Star Wars: The Old Republic Announced

Dhruin

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As expected, BioWare and LucasArts unveiled Star Wars: The Old Republic at a press event yesterday. Here's the press release:
LUCASARTS AND BIOWARE
REVEAL STAR WARS: THE OLD REPUBLIC
OCTOBER 21, SAN FRANCISCO – LucasArts and BioWare™, a division of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS), today announced the development of Star Wars®: The Old Republic™, a story-driven massively multiplayer online PC game set in the timeframe of the Star Wars®: Knights of the Old Republic™ franchise. Star Wars: The Old Republic, being developed and published by BioWare and LucasArts, represents an innovative approach to interactive entertainment, featuring immersive storytelling, dynamic combat and intelligent companion characters.

In Star Wars: The Old Republic, players will explore an age thousands of years before the rise of Darth Vader when war between the Old Republic and the Sith Empire divides the galaxy. Players can choose to play as Jedi, Sith, or a variety of other classic Star Wars roles, defining their personal story and determining their path down the light or dark side of the Force. Along the way, players will befriend courageous companions who will fight at their side or possibly betray them, based on the players’ actions. Players can also choose to team up with friends to battle enemies and overcome incredible challenges using dynamic Star Wars combat.

"Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is the most critically acclaimed Star Wars game in LucasArts history and a preeminent example of our company’s interactive storytelling heritage," said Darrell Rodriguez, President of LucasArts. "For a long time, we’ve long wanted to return to the franchise in a grand way, and we felt that the best setting for it was an online world that would allow millions of people to participate in the experience together. We knew that the developer capable of working with us to deliver an engrossing story with a fully-realized online world was BioWare."

"Traditionally, massively multiplayer online games have been about three basic gameplay pillars - combat, exploration and character progression," said Dr. Ray Muzyka, Co-Founder and General Manager/CEO of BioWare and General Manager/Vice President of Electronic Arts Inc., "In Star Wars: The Old Republic, we’re fusing BioWare’s heritage of critically-acclaimed storytelling with the amazing pedigree of Lucasfilm and LucasArts, and adding a brand-new fourth pillar to the equation – story. At the same time, we will still deliver all the fun features and activities that fans have come to expect in a AAA massively multiplayer online game. To top it all off, Star Wars: The Old Republic is set in a very exciting, dynamic period in the Star Wars universe."

Added Dr. Greg Zeschuk, Co-Founder and Vice President Development Operations, BioWare and Vice President, Electronic Arts Inc., "Star Wars: The Old Republic is set roughly 300 years after the events of Knights of the Old Republic, a timeframe that is completely unexplored in the lore. BioWare has been able to add to the Star Wars history in developing the game’s story and has created an overarching narrative that players can enjoy, regardless of their play style. Our goal is to offer players an emotionally rewarding experience that combines the traditional elements of MMO gameplay with innovations in story and character development."

Additional details on Star Wars: The Old Republic features, gameplay and release date will be announced at a later time. For more information about Star Wars: The Old Republic and to sign up for future product updates, please visit www.StarWarsTheOldRepublic.com.
Head directly to the official or go straight to screens, concept art or the FAQ.
While a few sites have covered the announcement, the first proper preview article we can find is up at IGN, with BioWare emphasising their "fourth gameplay pillar" of story:
Twelve full-time writers have been working on the content for this game for years already. The writing department was the first priority when it came to staffing so these writers have been working on the game longer than anyone. There's a whole galaxy to tell stories in, and unlike Star Wars Galaxies or The Lord of the Rings Online, The Old Republic isn't tie...More information.
 
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Video feature up at Gamespot has some interesting points such as being able to play sith/jedi in either area, choice and consequence, companions and no save option.
 
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Wow. More content than all the other BioWare games combined?? That's just... wow. There's a lot more to an MMO than just story but they sure have made an impressive start. BioWare has an incredible reputation, too. I've got a real good feeling about this one, and I haven't said that about any MMO in a long time.

P.S. Aren't they supposed to tell us about how our character can have a real impact on the game world? I thought all MMOs were required to claim that when announced? ;)
 
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Golf clap for their second chance.

Boy, people have a short memory span. The multi million dollar, over hyped blockbuster failure of Star Wars Galaxies is still fresh in my mind.
 
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I for once will allow myself entirely unreasonable, childlike happyness. Sure, later when its life and things are bad I will have enough time to bitch, but like Christmas, the expectation is the happiest time. Doomsayers begone! *hand wave* This will be a good game! =P
 
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I declare this a failure. I can feel it.
 
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Wow. More content than all the other BioWare games combined?? That's just... wow. There's a lot more to an MMO than just story but they sure have made an impressive start. BioWare has an incredible reputation, too. I've got a real good feeling about this one, and I haven't said that about any MMO in a long time.

P.S. Aren't they supposed to tell us about how our character can have a real impact on the game world? I thought all MMOs were required to claim that when announced? ;)

Somebody watched it then.

I think from that video interview alone it looks like an very interesting game in regards to MMOs as a genre. If you cock up and are forced to play a sith/dark side character ala Jedi Knight series I can't remember/think of any MMO that has that sort of gameplay.
 
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Iwatched the video and I have to say I am really curious about it.
For now I will defenitely try it when it comes out. I hope there will be a free trial then :)
 
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I have a feeling that the choice/consequence will boil down to your companion/s and not be something as dramatic as the turning in the Jedi Knight games, we'll see.
 
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probably not because to integrate that in a MMO would be almost impossible. I do hope they do succed in it. could be very interestign than
 
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Golf clap for their second chance.

Boy, people have a short memory span. The multi million dollar, over hyped blockbuster failure of Star Wars Galaxies is still fresh in my mind.
Actually I think SWG was really good when it came out, I thoroughly enjoyed it for the 5-6 months I played it. Crafting there was excellent, and I had great times in the cantinas (before they turned into bot-heaven)
 
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"Choose to be a Jedi, a Sith, or from a variety of other classic Star Wars roles, and make decisions which define your personal story and determine your path down the light or dark side of the Force. Along the way you will befriend courageous companions who will fight at your side or possibly betray you based on your actions."

Well, maybe it does.
 
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I have to vote 'blah' too, sadly.
I see nothing new or innovative and nothing to keep anyone's interest for more than a few months just trying out the characters and combat.
An MMORPG needs to bite the bullet and realize that some real life simulation is required to build long term loyalty from long term subscribers, and I see NOTHING in this offering for community building, a sense of ownership. Just more pew pew.. blah! SWG offered more and could have dwarfed WOW, but it had so many technical failings that it never learned to walk, let alone run. UO had the simulation but not the graphics, instances, combat. Oh well, another WOW clone , let the Clone Wars commence.. sigh
 
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Actually I think SWG was really good when it came out, I thoroughly enjoyed it for the 5-6 months I played it. Crafting there was excellent, and I had great times in the cantinas (before they turned into bot-heaven)

I'm glad you clarified that you were mostly into crafting and the entertainer stuff because if anyone said that the combat related gameplay was "really good" when SWG came out, I'd have to seriously question that person's tastes and/or memory ;) .
For the majority of the players who were into combat and exploration, the game was a horrible experience right from the start. I remember very well how the dev team, after the game's launch in June 2003, was fixated on finishing mounts, vehicles and player cities (= new features) before Christmas 2003 instead of fixing the damn game which was plagued by rampant exploits, blatant imbalances, massive bugs and even cheats like credit duping.
It seemed to me like this policy of sticking their heads in the sand while prioritizing new content and expansions (to keep the marketing hype rolling) was actually the one major problem of SWG. They should have fixed and stabilized the foundation first before piling even more crap on top of the shitty core.
 
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You think they need those ridiculous sized lightsabers are something to do with WoW?
 
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Mm I have to agree with the cartoonish looks: it doesn't fit star wars as good as it did with WoW. I hope it won't be a wow ripp of but a concept on its own
 
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You think they need those ridiculous sized lightsabers are something to do with WoW?

No idea, but let's face it: This game, like WAR will be 99% WoW... the looks really don't matter. But I'm sure the underlying game mechanics will be cery wowish...
 
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