I know, I know, I missed last weeks article and I apologize! Life caught up to me and I just lost track of time. So this week I hope to fix that by bringing out a forum post that will probably spark some debate as it has on the forums. I’ll get right to the point and you can read the original post below, then you can read further and I’ll post my thoughts. feel free to add your comments on this as well at the end!

Continue Reading »

This week I am going to bring a relatively new thread on the forums out to everyone. I am doing this because it is covering a subject that has to be on everyone’s mind, that is crazy about Swtor right now. The subject is E3 and maybe, just maybe, the off chance that some type of announcement regarding the status of the game, insight into the beta testing or just brand spanking new information on game-play might come out of this venue.

So, first the link. If you notice, this thread is started by GamewizX. If you frequent the forums a lot, especially around big events you notice this person generally has a thread like this up and ready to gather all the information they can for everyone to read. Gwiz (GeeWiz) does a lot more than that as they tend to offer some sound advice, mostly, about other subjects that float around the forums. I tend to like this thread, even though there isn’t any E3 information out yet, because it’s something I will be able to keep going to as soon as E3 starts and be able to get a lot of information on when I am ready.

Twitter is good for instant news flashes, but if you aren’t able to read anything at that moment, you have to read though all your tweeters that you follow to search for the information. Having a thread like this makes it simple to go back and go through all the information that comes out at your leisure. I appreciate the time and effort put into getting a thread like this started and the effort that will be needed to keep it updated.

So when E3 comes along and you need a place to sit down and go through all the glorious Swtor news that comes out, look to this post for that thread. I am sure there will be some type of game information that you will love to read up on listed there.

Probably one of the more talked about subjects in regards to playing Swtor has been what it takes to actually play Swtor. Right now, no one really knows. There has been discussions covering the topic though. So far the only real input we have on this is what was said before, which is:

Although no official system requirements have been released for STAR WARS: The Old Republic, one of the most popular topics relating to the game is discussion of system requirements. To keep all these discussions consolidated, we have created this thread to speculate and discuss possible The Old Republic system requirements on Windows PC.

While no official requirements have been published, this E3 2009 interview with BioWare’s Gordon Walton gives some insight into the basic level of system requirements that BioWare is aiming for:

Quote:

Gordon Walton: We are definitely not intending it to be extremely high.   Gophn.com: That’s great. I would like to be able to play it on my 3 year old gaming notebook. Gordon Walton: It’s going to more modest to let more people into the game because not every gamer changes out their machine for super hardcore machines.

Also, to clarify:

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeanDahlberg Star Wars: The Old Republic is currently being developed for the personal computer (PC) using the Microsoft® Windows® operating system. While we recognize that there are other operating systems and platforms available for games today, our development is specific to the personal computer using the Windows operating system at this time.

Please use this thread to speculate on the requirements, discuss whether your Windows personal computer will be able to handle the game, and other topics directly related to TOR’s system requirements.

As always, any discussion or responses found within is pure speculation; please do not take any requirement suggestions as official unless they come from BioWare themselves.

 

So it looks like Swtor may be pretty forgiving in what it takes to play the game. It seems that if you have a system that can currently run Warcraft, then you should be fine in regards to running this once it releases. Nobody has a clue what settings (low, mid, high) that might run the game, but hey, for now you are actually playing it aren’t you?

So in regards to this, I’d like to present something that even a novice Gamer Geek or budding PC Builder wannabe can use to upgrade on their current system, if they are really think they need one. The PC Gamer 2011 PC Builder’s Bible

With this handy magazine, building a new system (what I am doing) or even looking for upgrades to your current system become a little easier to manage with what information they give you. Add in places like Newegg and Fry’s, and you may find some of these items cheaper than is what suggested in the magazine.

With a little work, you shouldn’t even have to worry about IF you can play the game, as now you KNOW you can, and even possibly, run it at it’s most glorious setting of FULL so that you can enjoy every mouth-watering pixel coming at you full force on your face.

So with this week at work being crazy, packing for my non-SWTOUR trip into North Carolina country, this weeks Forum Friday has been pushed back a week. I hope I didn’t disappoint anyone too much, but I think there will be enough talk and chatter from whatever happens on the Update today.

To all the Fan-sites headed to Bioware this weekend, I hope everyone has safe travels and gets to have an enjoyable time. we are all looking forward to hear how much fun it was for you all once you return!

Happy Easter everyone!

So last week I delved into the General Forum and brought you a glimpse into the Appearance tab discussion. This week I am doing something a little different and bringing you not just one forum post but eight. That’s right, and I do this because I think these posts are generally over looked by the masses and they shouldn’t be because their owners and everyone that has participated has put a wealth of gathered information for all to browse and learn from. This week I bring you the Class FAQ posts from every class on the Character Classes Forum.

First you want to start out with the Compendium of knowledge for everything known character wise that has been gathered and set before you like a bountiful feast for your brain. The The Classes Checklist: Confirmed NFO post by chillinvillain is an amazing job at keeping a lot of information in one single place. I think it is generally over-looked as people rush head long into their classes they want to know more about. I would say that this thread should be the first stop for all players that want to get some good over all information.

So without further ado, lets jump into what I think are the best of the best in regards to classes and get started with the best around, the Non-Force User classes in the game.

Are you are in the mood to walk the walk and talk the talk? Do you like solo moonlit strolls along the beach before you knock some ones head in for a reward? How about being cold, maybe say cold as carbonite? Then I think you are just like me and know that the Bounty Hunter is the class for you. Before you begin your journey though, you might want to know more about what you have to look forward to, so go read up. Fembo has been doing a great job on the post and I thank them for it. (Yes I am kind of biased and Bounty Hunters get to go first, but it’s my post so keep reading or I’ll put a mark on your head)

Do you like to hide in the shadows and work unseen? Like hiding behind things and taking your prey by surprise? Rather take them in dead than alive? Have some weird fetish for sharp pointy objects? Well then, you’re probably an Imperial Agent out on a mission or watched BladeRunner way too many times. Anyways, check out the FAQ on IA’s by  TheShadowedTruth. This will get you started on your new life, just stay away from airlocks.

Like the military? Got a thing for guns and then some guns and maybe even some guns for guns on the side? Yeah I thought so. You want to feel like a walking can of sardines do you? Got a thing for the Tin Man over Dorothy and prefer hand grenades to apples. Trooper, through and through aren’t ya?  Well listen up soldier! leviatha has some news for you over here. Pop to it and get educated and then get ready to report for duty! While you are waiting to get started, go see if you can land a shot on this.

You are not Han Solo. You are not Han Solo. You are not Han Solo. You are not Han Solo. You are not Han Solo. You are not Han Solo. Got it? No? Okay so if you want to be the Lego-las of Swtor then go right ahead. Hoviator has something that might interest you posted here and maybe if you are good, we might be okay with you thinking that you are Solo…but you won’t be.

So now we get to the Force Users. You know them, they are the Ravers with Glow-sticks.

Like Dark Robes? Have nothing but hate and anger rolling around that brain of yours? Get the urge to go all Johnny “Johnny B” Bukowski on some Republic heads when you feel all good inside? Well hello Mr Sith Inquisitor! You’re not the Emperor yet and probably never will be, but you keep trying to achieve the impossible. Pangscar has the Sith Inquisitor 2.0 post going and this should help you on that way to ultimate power.

Darth Malgus is the current flavor in game. Darth Vader is probably the one you old geezers relate to more. Either way, Sith Warriors are bad news to anyone, even themselves. Jxspyder has all the information you want on this particular class posted for you to read.

Hey Farm Boy! Get those two droids and go milk some cows or swamprats or something. Yes, nothing too witty to say about the beloved Jedi Knight. So ncupton will fill you in  on all the details and maybe you won’t be some lowly Padawan anymore. Never know, you could end up saving everyone of us!

I got nothing for the Jedi Consular. Seriously! Because as soon as you pop out your lightsaber staff all I will see is something we have all seen before. I’ll laugh at you. Everyone will laugh at you. So while we are indisposed rolling in joyous rapture at your class choice misfortune, Drudenfusz has some information on this post, that may make it possible for you to seem like a good class choice, but we will still snicker at you.

So there you go, Class information on all the classes currently being brought to you in Swtor.

Forum Friday is a weekly posting regarding the posts from the Official Swtor Forums. If you find a post you find interesting and would like to see it discussed here, then Contact Swtor Life with your idea.

If you ever visit the Official Swtor Forums, you know that there are many, many discussions going on relating to what is known and what is still unknown in relation to the game. We all see these posts and probably even read some of the pages to see what everyone is talking about. One that I find interesting is a discussion on the General Forums talking about The Appearance Tab.

What this post, started by member Horeon, is about is whether or not there will be a system in place similar to the Outfit system currently used in Lotro and other games. This post deals mostly in how it works in relation to the PVP system in the game. Here is the original post:

Question: With the appearance tab we have two groups of players: Those who are well informed about the enemy’s weaknesses and those who are practically going blind. How will the a-tab manage to overcome such a serious and very important PvP issue?

For a person to “gimp” himself by using the a-tab system (keep it on during pvp), it means he will be able to see the a-tabs of ALL the players he encounters in his screen.

If the opposing team does not use a-tabs (which means have the a-tab off and thus see their opponents’ actual gear), then they will -by default- show their actual gear.

So in this case you have:

A-team: uses a-tab, sees all players’ a-tabs of those who have a-tabs on
B-team: doesn’t use a-tab, sees everyone’s actual gear and at the same time they show their actual gear.

This means that even though A-team chooses to see their opponents in the “wrong” gear, the opponents simply cannot be wearing it, unless they, too, choose to see their opponents “wrong gear”. Through this, it is impossible to hide your own gear, without hiding that of others. This completely solves the presented PvP “issue” of recognition and gear-identification.

I would love to see an appearance mechanic worked into Swtor. Just for those times you want to pull a Princess Leia and make everyone think you are a Bounty Hunter looking to claim a reward for the mark on a certain Wookie. It goes with the Universe. Not everyone is who you think they are or what they appear.

In regards to the forum post, most of the discussion is about its implementation in a PVP setting. In PVP, if using this system, how do you tell what class you are going up against to prepare yourself for the fight? Couldn’t the system be abused by some to give the false impression of being a certain class but in fact be another, thus trying to initially tip the outcome of the fight in their favor? sure it could and would most definitely.

This isn’t another character sheet to give you more gear options or anything like that. It is a feature that would let you keep the cosmetic look of gear that you find appealing on your character, while still being able to use better gear for stats and other features that outweigh the look of what you are showing everyone else.

Personally, even though I highly approve of the system itself, I don’t think it should ever be allowed in a PVP setting just because of those that would go out of their way to abuse it for their gain. For a game of this setting though, I think there should be something in place in case you want to look like how you want AND still PVP at the same time.

I’d like something to to make it so that you see your appearance look on your screen, but others could see you in the natural state of what your class is and what you are really wearing/equipped with. Exactly what is also stated in the thread:

We don’t want to look unique – we simply want to decide how we look.

We don’t want to appear with sexy sleeveless shirts while in fact we are wearing massive armor – we want limitations based on class.

We don’t want to enforce the appearance tab – we want everyone to be happy, so if you don’t like them, there should be a toggle available.

We don’t want people posting in this thread without reading the entire OP.

I think most people agree that an appearance tab on the Character Sheet would add massively to what already looks to be a huge game as is. Add another Appearance Tab to the Companion, and you would truly have something. Find the way to have it in PVP without it giving advantage to either side and I think you have a winner.

Forum Friday is a new weekly posting regarding the posts from the Official Swtor Forums. If you find a post you find interesting and would like to see it discussed here, then Contact Swtor Life with your idea.