New MMO in dev. The Old Republic

[punchbunny]

For those of us Star Wars KOTOR I & II Fans Bioware has brought us something of dreams.

Star Wars : The Old Republic. or TOR.

www.swtor.com

Enjoy Drooling over this one. it looks brilliant

Just found this, could it be the outline design notes for the BioWare MMO? or is it just another rumor? Only time and an official announcement will tell. Sorry mods, I thought this deserved it's own thread. If you don't feel it does please PM me and I'll move it.


Discuss........


It seems like only yesterday that someone e-mailed me this rumor. Many here already know its contents, but the general public has been kept in the dark about this. Did we fear that the wrong people would take notice? Maybe some did. Did we think it was the holy grail of Star Wars Galaxies rumors? Sure we did.

Is it for real? Who knows? We sure don't.

Let me start by telling you how this rumor found me. I've been a more vocal opponent of the way Sony has handled Star Wars Galaxies and I, like a vast majority of SWG players, have left the game since the release of the NGE 2 years ago. Like most exiled vets, I searched for every possible hopeful news that might mean we'd get our game back. I've made many contacts in the industry, many people who are friends-of-friends, and a few crackpots as well. When you beat the bushes like I have, you find all types.

Promising news came a year ago when Bioware announced the formation of an Austin studio. Since KotOR was such a well loved Star Wars game, many hoped that they would be our salvation... our dead tauntaun to give our dream warmth. While they didn't say what game they were working on (They still haven't a year later) we had a new hope.

So suddenly, in my inbox, a long e-mail appears.

The e-mailer said that they were design notes for what he was told was either another revamp of SWG (New New Game Enhancements? /scream ) or another MMO altogether. Now these notes were quite detailed and interesting. Were they actual outlines of what was to come, or someone's vivid imagination... it was hard to tell. It's not the kind of thing anyone would confirm or deny even if it were true.

So now, with the permission of my source, I bring you publicly for the first time the big rumor. Is it the Bioware/Lucasarts MMO, or just the rantings of someone with way too much time on their hands? Only time or the inevitable injunction will tell.

As I've always said... salt to taste.









MULTI CHARACTER ACCOUNT.

SWG will be designed along a party system to make use of the new extended character build features. With the increase of optional builds it would be desirable for players to have unlockable character slots. Using a design concept similar to the Kotor series. Players by way of their personal story arc will be able to unlock new characters as they progress. The idea is for players to max at three playable characters. Their main character, plus two they will unlock as they progress. Players can then decide to discard acquired characters as more desirable characters become available. Unlocked characters should make use of innate traits along with their own builds that are the same as the main character.

PARTY SYSTEM.

While not the same as a traditional party system. Players will be encouraged to switch their characters during gameplay to either follow each characters story arc, or to participate in varying areas in the game. Switching characters will be accomplished by returning to home base, or their docked ship. There the player will be able to equip, and set expansion blocks for the character they plan to use.

NO PLAYER STRUCTURES.

Player structures while having some fun value. Do in effect tax the system, and limit playable area. They also cause issues with instanced content, and later building. They also have the side effect of resources being spent on non players. The new system will be based on instanced ship interiors. Which players will access via a starport terminal. Maintenance fees will be replaced with docking fees. The starship interface allows for more functionality for players all non combat activity can be done within the confines of a ship. Ships will also receive greater passive healing bonuses. To encourage players to use their instanced structure whenever possible.

THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD.

SWG will make use of the famous character development system found in Kotor for those players that are looking for a rich roleplaying environment. Similar to Kotor it is also desirable for the story to develop as the player progresses. There should be no less then a dozen distinct story lines, and the storylines should involve as many options as possible to create unique experience. Depending on how a player plays out their character could result in any number of conclusions. Since the player can access these story lines through acquiring new characters as they go along it is conceivable that a player will eventually get to play through each story arc.

EXPANSION BLOCKS.

While SWG will still make use of the skill box system/trees. Expansion blocks will now serve as a avenue for character refinement such as the case was with modded items. Expansion blocks will function as a rare loot, and be permanently learned by the player upon looting. Expansion blocks will now be equipable, and removable in the skills screen. Expansion block slots will be allocated for novice/master. A novice will obtain two expansion slots, a master will gain three slots, a second level master four slots.

Expansion blocks. Will be certifications, moves, skills, buffs, upgrades, and schematics. Players must equip, and unequip expansion blocks in their docked ships. They cannot do so in the wild. More blocks can be added as time progresses, but the main goal is to have around 200 to start off. Players can only make use of as many blocks as they have slots for.



Here's some on the user interface...

[punchbunny]

OMNI INTERFACE.

The OMNI interface is a all in one screen menu interface that will give players instant access to all their menus, Skillsheet, Inventory, Datapad, Abilities, Community, Mail, Map, Options, Character, Information base, Journal. Almost all ctrl options will be available through the OMNI interface. For simplicity sake some menus are combined. Though all menus can be instantly viewed through the OMNI interface.

CTRL.

CTRL access will still be enabled for those who prefer fast access. That will allow them to skip over the omni interface, and directly to a particular menu they desire. These windows will retain size, and location based on player preference. The OMNI is so any player new, or veteran can have easy access if they like. For those players that forget the commands from time to time this is far less problematic then rediscovering the access bar at the bottom of their screen. Which often could end up being covered by the chat box, and hard to distinguish.

ACCESS BAR.

Some players may remember the old menu access bar. Since now the player has one button access to the OMNI interface such a feature is redundant. Often players dependent on mode found it inconvenient to unlock their camera move a box, and then click on a particular icon. The player will still be able to ask the OMNI even if someone rips the locked key out of their keyboard simply by clicking on a icon to be found in the ham display. To be blunt the cumbersome access bar is being removed. No point wasting screen space for a redundant feature.

RADAR

Radar will remain customizable to the players likes or dislikes, it can have its size, location, transparency changed. The radar can even be disabled if the player so chooses. The overhead map will also receive a icon within the radar interface. Though players will still be able to use the CTRL command to do it as well.

DISABLING.

Players will now have the option to disable any interfaces they so desire. A player can choose to remove any interface on their screen they so desire. A player can remove anything they feel obstructs their view. Players can do this through the options menu. Automatically they will be defaulted on, but a player can choose to go in, and disable any or all of them.

TRANSPARENCY.

All on screen displays, and pop up menus including the omni can have their transparencies set by the players through the options interface so as not to obstruct a players view while negotiating the world. Yes you could be in combat, and bring up your inventory, and still see what you are doing. With some distortion obviously.

OMNI LAYOUT.

The OMNI by default will constitute most of the players screen. The window will comprise six distinct separate windows. Each window comes equipped with the maximize/minimize most computer users are familiar with. Simply maximize one of the windows with your cursor to enlarge that menu to fill the OMNI. When done with that menu minimize to return to the default OMNI. The player works off only six menus now, but some menus have subtabs for less relevant information.

THE MENUS.

Inventory remains very true to its root a giant box filled with evenly spaced items. Items that are equipped can be found in a colored box, while unequipped items are found not colored. Items that are insured have a small Icon next to them. The major changes are as follow. Items that have not been saved yet while still usable will be displayed as transparent. Remember cloning saves items earned. So you need to save these or you lose them when you die. The other change is items equipped to the toolbar will also shade showing the player what is equipped to the hotbar. While the drag, and drop remains. Players can also click a item, and hit a hotbutton on their keyboard. For quick switching in combat situations. This hotkeying is not limited to just items.

The Skill sheet contains a number of new tabs. Players will recognize the original layout you can review the boxes in professions, and check your skillpoint to compare what to acquire what to drop, and what prerequisites there are. The player will also find a scroll window that contains unsaved xp. Remember until you store clone data xp can be lost when you die. Once a player clones this does get added permanently to the player. The players will also find a scroll window for skill mods, and a window for certifications. Along with a bar indicating available skill points. Players will also find in this screen a place to selection for legendary professions. Which ones they have unlocked, and if one is unlocked how much xp is used.

The second tab reveals a listing of blocks players have earned, and their default blocks. Think abilities, and you are on the right track. Players can use this to see what they have unlocked, and equip their hotbar. Expansion blocks can only be equipped within the players ship so this is just for reference. The same rules apply for non saved blocks. The players will be able to OMNI these two windows for the purpose of equipping blocks when on ship, and abilities can be hotkeyed to the toolbar.

NOTE Macros are gone either you are playing or you or not. There is no means to perform unattended combat, crafting, support. There will be sufficient content to make gaining XP in these areas more entertaining.

The community sheet is home to friends list, in game mails, chat options. Players will also be able to use this to check statistics on their city, participate in votes, and read any community news. Players in a guild will be able to check into guild resources, membership, and planned activities posted by the leader. Players will also now find the information/bug/help system here. Players will also be able to check in this group for faction content.

Players should check into the community often for special events, and to be aware of what is happening in their faction/city/guild.

Datapad has some changes. What stays the same is waypoints/creatures/vehicles. Players will still store these in the datapad. They will be separated for simplicity sake. Schematics are gone. The reason is they were a waste, and a drain on the system. With players no longer mass producing equipment, and crafters being on a more even footing. The need for this is gone. So why spend valuable space. There is also a map function now. Maps are not automatically granted. Maps have to be earned either through quests, or looting. These are instant learned. So a player will have to get their own maps.

Quest journal holds both important dialogue, and quest details. Players will also be able to do the following here via tabs. They will be able to change their outfits, choose what to display for roleplay, or strategic purposes. Review archived quests, and review unlocked badges. The default setting for players will tell next to nothing other then a players name. What a player chooses to share is up to the player. Players have to decide to display ranks, guild loyalty, citizenship, faction visibility, professions, and the like.

Options is almost unchanged except for a variety of options to make the game optimizeable. Players will be able to alter graphics, sound, control schemes, display, and so on.

Summation players can choose to use the OMNI. This all in one menu screen is access with one button press most likely the escape key. The OMNI will be implemented in a way that allows for the most relevant information to be displayed. Players can bypass the OMNI by using appropriate CTRL commands. These are the basics of the OMNI.

[CheeseM0nkeys]

In case no one saw yet; trailer is here
YouTube - Star Wars: The Old Republic E3 2009 Jedi vs. Sith Trailer [HQ] (Rate This Game)

Anyway, looks awsome. Pay to Play sucks though