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Star Wars: The Old Republic: Full Beta Preview

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  • AlexTaldrenAlexTaldren Member UncommonPosts: 21

    SWTOR is everything that's wrong with MMORPGs.


    • Developer-written and driven story that, while offering different paths, eventually results in boredom and repetition.

    • Themepark gameplay design with quest hubs and linear, level-based progression through the world.

    • Complete lack of social features aside from forming groups/parties such as mini games, cantinas, etc.

    • Instanced PvP that has little to no affect on the world or battle between Light and Dark.

    • The same, old-fashioned combat system that results in boring and awkward-looking situations (see Trooper standing in the open exchanging laser bolts with an enemy).

    • Phoned-in crafting system and lack of a player-driven economy.

    It's a paint-by-numbers MMORPG. And, while I do applaud BW for their attention to detail in the plot, voice over dialogue, and authenticity to Star Wars (unlike Cryptic with Star Trek), this just isn't the way I'd like to see MMORPGs in 2011.

    If there was ever a genre that needed innovation, it's the MMORPG. It's like we're being given the same product over and over, with hardly any updates, changes, or improvements. It's almost gotten to be as bad as the Madden games.

  • Biggus99Biggus99 Member Posts: 916

    Originally posted by AlexTaldren

    SWTOR is everything that's wrong with MMORPGs.





    • Developer-written and driven story that, while offering different paths, eventually results in boredom and repetition.  There is a different story for every class, and different paths you can choose within each story if you were to go through it a second time.  The words "boredom" and "repetitious" are the last words I'd use to describe it, unless you just don't like sitting through dialogue.  



    • Themepark gameplay design with quest hubs and linear, level-based progression through the world.  Granted, but there is still a large audience for this type of gameplay in MMOs.  It may not be everybody's cup of tea, but you can't just say "This is what's wrong with MMOs," particularly when many people enjoy that casual style of gameplay.  I personally find that player-created content is usually the worst kind, since I trust developers to create exciting content more than Joe Schmoe sitting at his keyboard.  Still, I think we all would like it if things were a bit more non-linear.  



    • Complete lack of social features aside from forming groups/parties such as mini games, cantinas, etc. If you want to socialize, go socialize.  It is always funny to me when people feel that a game needs to "force" you to socialize in order to meet people.  You want a game conducive to social interaction?  Make sure there are a lot of people playing.  SWTOR will have that.  



    • Instanced PvP that has little to no affect on the world or battle between Light and Dark.  They also will have open world PvP on the planet of Ilum as well.  



    • The same, old-fashioned combat system that results in boring and awkward-looking situations (see Trooper standing in the open exchanging laser bolts with an enemy).  Yes, it's your standard tab-target combat.  But they have added the cover mechanic to a couple of classes, which isn't standard.  Still, the abilities and combat animations seem solid, so that will appeal to many people.  Again, just because it isn't your cup of tea doesn't mean it's contributing to the fall of Western civilization.



    • Phoned-in crafting system and lack of a player-driven economy.  Wrong about the crafting.  It's not "phoned in."  They didn't make a mini-game out of it like SWG or Vanguard, but they did add some things to it that make it a little more involved than your standard WoW-type crafting system.  There are different grades/qualities of items you can craft, and there are procs.  You can also use reverse engineering for a chance at rare recipes/schematics.  The best crafted gear will be a slight notch below the best raiding gear, and certain items will only be able to be crafted by certain players on the server due to the rareness of specific recipes.  So it is possible in this game to "stand out" on your server for your crafting, rather than making the same stuff everyone else makes.  It may not be as involved as an SWG...but it certainly doesn't sound like a standard crafting system to me.  It's definitely a step above most themepark crafting systems.  

     

     

  • LaterisLateris Member UncommonPosts: 1,830

     It reads like they have a good foundation to build upon for future content. 

  • EduardoASGEduardoASG Member Posts: 832

    oh ye baby.

    Commando in swg, commando in swtor i will most certanily be :]

    rock on

    Aion, AoC, AC, AO, DDO, Eve, Eq2, GW, MW3, L1&2, RF, RIFT, SWG, SWTOR, TR, UO, WOW, WAR
  • YamotaYamota Member UncommonPosts: 6,593

    Originally posted by Cik_Asalin

    Originally posted by Yamota

    So are there any actual MMO features in this game worth writing about? Because this review could might as well have been written for a regular multiplayer game.

    Perhaps it doesn't turn "Massively" until level 50; it might be a Heroic quest for the final, yet first M in MMORPG.  Until then it just might be a mixture of single-player and cooperative-player ORPG with multiple people on the same server.

    Which is my point. Maybe at level 50 it will turn into an MMORPG but for now the game sounds more like an MORPG.

  • SBE1SBE1 Member UncommonPosts: 340

    Dear MMORPG:

    Can someone on your staff who likes PvP please do a preview of this game?  I'd like to know more about the open-world PvP experience in Beta, especially since the developers have said so little about it.   Some commentary on the battlegrounds is okay, but we've already had press previews of the battlezone with the turrets, so a focus on open world PvP would be appreciated.

    Please don't send someone from your staff who doesn't like to do PvP to do that part of the preview.   Thanks.

    P.S.  The current preview above was fine, just want some info on the PvP side.



     

  • MikeBMikeB Community ManagerAdministrator RarePosts: 6,555

    Originally posted by SBE1

    Dear MMORPG:

    Can someone on your staff who likes PvP please do a preview of this game?  I'd like to know more about the open-world PvP experience in Beta, especially since the developers have said so little about it.   Some commentary on the battlegrounds is okay, but we've already had press previews of the battlezone with the turrets, so a focus on open world PvP would be appreciated.

    Please don't send someone from your staff who doesn't like to do PvP to do that part of the preview.   Thanks.

    Open world PvP wasn't available within the level range we are able to provide coverage of at this time. Sorry :(

  • SBE1SBE1 Member UncommonPosts: 340

    Originally posted by MikeB

    Originally posted by SBE1

    Dear MMORPG:

    Can someone on your staff who likes PvP please do a preview of this game?  I'd like to know more about the open-world PvP experience in Beta, especially since the developers have said so little about it.   Some commentary on the battlegrounds is okay, but we've already had press previews of the battlezone with the turrets, so a focus on open world PvP would be appreciated.

    Please don't send someone from your staff who doesn't like to do PvP to do that part of the preview.   Thanks.

    Open world PvP wasn't available within the level range we are able to provide coverage of at this time. Sorry :(


     

    That's cool.    Thanks for the quick reply.   I just hope you can pass that message along so that we can get a sense of that aspect of the game when you can discuss it.  It's really the big missing info so far, which if you like to PvP is a big concern.

  • kaliniskalinis Member Posts: 1,428

    Id like to point out that as a tor lover i knew it was gonna be a pretty standard themepark mmo with story compnaions and choices that affect my character. I didnt expect them to revolutionize combat.

    I didnt expect a sandbox game which is good as im not a sandbox game fan its just not for me. i read all the reviews at massively and mmorpg and most of the english ones i didnt need a google translation to read.

    They were positive for the most part. There were some critiscisms but some of those are beta issues like your companion pulling the guy out of your range. 

    While i dont mind critisicms of tor from those that preiviewed it i do get tired of the false info used to put this game down. Truth is im looking forward to this game for biowares story. The fact a sandbox guy didnt like it wasnt really a shock as they perfer to make there own story.

    That said i have read alot more positives then negatives. I hate the idea that the guys that were luke warm on this game was telling the truth but if they liked this game and cant wait to play it they are sucking up and sold there integrity.

    U cant have it both ways. The truth is tor isnt for everyone. Not every player will love this game but some will thats the truth and the fact is 85 pct of the reviews ir ead loved tor. The other 15 pct didnt. 

    thats not a bad thing. its what happens in life some people like a game when others dont. Im not a halo fan but there are millionhjs of players out there love halo. 

    i just wish the people who love to use negatives to say this game will suck wont admit that the positive reviews which outweigh the negative 2 or 3 to 1 are the honest opion of a writer and not a bought opinion when the negatives are all the truth and the positiver reveiws are all lies. 

    it gets old people . Truth is most of the positive reviewers like this game and cant wait to play and the the negative revieweres are even gonna give it a shot once it goes live. Dont like that ruth tough its the facts and stop putting your own spin on it. 

    Just because soeone liked tor doesnt mean there opinion was bought by bioware.

  • drakwondrakwon Member CommonPosts: 69

    This game is addicting, some things I dont like, but I want to log in and play even knowing everything will be erased. Can't we all agree though, we may not like some things in the games we play but as long as the desire to play is there, isnt that all that matters?

     

  • Infestation2Infestation2 Member Posts: 3

    All I can say is There is a beta, and Im a part of it... and have been for months ;P

  • FaelsunFaelsun Member UncommonPosts: 501

    The Upcoming release of this game has inspired me to install Open BSD on ALL of my home computers.

  • daeandordaeandor Member UncommonPosts: 2,695

    Is SWTOR beginning to sound more and more like a cross between Tabula Rasa and Global Agenda to anyone else?

  • neorandomneorandom Member Posts: 1,681

    and just what, pray tell, is wrong with force choking people that give me lip?!

  • EliandalEliandal Member Posts: 796

    Originally posted by daeandor

    Is SWTOR beginning to sound more and more like a cross between Tabula Rasa and Global Agenda to anyone else?

     

      Just from what I have played at a 'con (even 20 minutes was enough) it is no where NEAR that level of fail!

  • SupersoupsSupersoups Member Posts: 1,004

    Originally posted by SaintViktor

    Originally posted by Vorthanion








    Originally posted by Boreil







    I wouldnt say " fully good  reveiws" not by a streatch, plenty of very good and bad  but it seams , at least in the early game , some of the main points of the game are hit and miss  I.E story/multiplayer/campanions. Its still too early to tell anything though really.














     





    Except that the bad reviews aren't based on the quality of the game, but rather what the reviewer is looking for in a game.  In essence, they're calling it a bad game, rather than calling it a good game that doesn't cater to their playstyle.

    If a casual game does it's job and caters to casual players, then who is some hardcore reviewer to say that the game is bad when it serves it's intended purpose?  Perhaps said reviewer should be reviewing their types of games instead?










     

     Wether you are a hardcore gamer or a sanbox player or casual player, players know when games are bad. You can only hide bad so far until everyone eventually catches on.

    I don't know, many consider GW2 to be a very hyped game and have no inteerst in it. Does it mean it is a bad game for majority? nope. Your personal likes or dislikes have nothing to do with majority or over all quality of game. A lot of people here dislike game just to spite others and mostly because they are a hardcore fan of some other MMO. It is all about my game is better than yours.

    If i go by comment like these and others on this website. There is not one MMO worth playing.

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  • fivorothfivoroth Member UncommonPosts: 3,916

    After watching some videos I am seriously unimpressed with this game. I think leveling will be fun but it will get just as boring as any other MMO once you hit the cap.

    Mission in life: Vanquish all MMORPG.com trolls - especially TESO, WOW and GW2 trolls.

  • SamhaelSamhael Member RarePosts: 1,488

    I think we define "full beta" very differently. You guys are only allowed to talk about the first 15 levels or so.  That's hardly "full" by so many definitions.  I enjoyed what you guys posted but the article here is extremely poorly named.

  • daeandordaeandor Member UncommonPosts: 2,695

    Originally posted by Eliandal

    Originally posted by daeandor

    Is SWTOR beginning to sound more and more like a cross between Tabula Rasa and Global Agenda to anyone else?

     

      Just from what I have played at a 'con (even 20 minutes was enough) it is no where NEAR that level of fail!

    Yeah, I wasn't really saying it was the fail aspect.  More along the lines of the graphics being very similar to both, the pvp being very GA-ish and the instances being very GA pve hard mission-ish.

     

    Actually, the more I think about it, the instanced pvp sounds exactly like GA or even /gasp, TF2...  (both of which are free to play)

  • ZacruneZacrune Member Posts: 126

    The game seems quite fair, Although i don't like some features.

  • DarkPonyDarkPony Member Posts: 5,566



    Originally posted by daeandor
    Is SWTOR beginning to sound more and more like a cross between Tabula Rasa and Global Agenda to anyone else?

    Yes and/or no.
  • daeandordaeandor Member UncommonPosts: 2,695

    Originally posted by DarkPony

     






    Originally posted by daeandor

    Is SWTOR beginning to sound more and more like a cross between Tabula Rasa and Global Agenda to anyone else?






    Yes and/or no.

     

    Thank you?

    image

  • omidusomidus Member UncommonPosts: 99

    You barely scratch the surface of the game how can you call this a full beta preview...

  • olepiolepi Member EpicPosts: 2,805

    I think what most people are meaning when they say SWToR is not an MMORPG: it doesn't have a vast open virtual world to live in. This is BioWare, renowned for story telling and great production values. They are not experienced in creating wide open virtual worlds with sandboxy open-ended play.

    Does the game have to be an open virtual world to be an MMORPG?

    ------------
    2024: 47 years on the Net.


  • dreldrel Member Posts: 918

    Originally posted by olepi

    I think what most people are meaning when they say SWToR is not an MMORPG: it doesn't have a vast open virtual world to live in. This is BioWare, renowned for story telling and great production values. They are not experienced in creating wide open virtual worlds with sandboxy open-ended play.

    Does the game have to be an open virtual world to be an MMORPG?

     For me it does.  Playing pre-planned linear games such as this game become boring very quickly. Add to that-you aren't able to explore eveywhere, have very little interstellar travel, which again is linear, and the game just doesn't appeal to me.

    I would much rather have the open world, explore anywhere, be anybody, and do anything-that makes an MMORPG in my view.

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