SW:TOR – Yeah, it’s an online SRPG

They basically said it themselves.

Daniel Erickson told CVG this:

“If you’re someone that loves everything an MMO brings to the table, loves the community aspect, loves being able to see other people and say: ‘I have better shoulder pads than you do,’ everything you loved about MMOs is there for you.

“But if the idea of story and context really turns you off, if what you want is the just complete Disneyland experience, where you run on the rides and repeat the stuff, this probably isn’t your favourite MMO.

“If you are a hardcore, traditional Bioware fan – a Mass Effect or especially Dragon Quest fan – this is the dream game. It is an RPG forever. It is an RPG that at the speed and pace that I play RPGs as a gamer, five or ten hours a week. I could never finish this game.”

So, it’s WoW, only without the fun rides? This statement is so universally counter to an understanding of what an MMO is to me, that I’m having extreme difficulty in articulating just how terrified I am his presented understanding. Hell, the fact that he equates “Complete Disneyland experience” with his understanding of what “other” MMOs are like, has me worried.

I’ve never played any of the Mass Effects, and I’m still working on Dragon Age. I loved the KotORs, and Baldur’s Gate games. However, I think the fears of everyone who vocally worried that this was just going to be a trumped-up chat-enabled KotOR 3 may be right. This will not be a virtual world if what is said here holds validity, and that is one step closer towards taking the genre in a direction I dread.

Bleh, way to bring me down Bioware, way to bring me down.

Tools for the Job

First, be prepared for some hefty linkage here, while I set the stage throughout the post to give reference to what I’m talking about.

I was reading a post at Syncaine’s where he was talking about SW:TOR, and the results that “calling” it an MMO will have. Right now, it’s too early for me to really comment on the validity of his statements. I don’t know how the gameplay will be, or how closely it will adhere to typical MMO conventions. The short and long of it(or TLDR version for the internet lingo), as Syncaine puts it, is that the game is going to be more akin to an online, co-op single player RPG and that the MMO crowd will not receive that well. If the game is released like that, and lacking in an end-game method of progression, there very well may be problems. However, we don’t know for sure that’s the case.

That said, I want to gloss over that post and get to the heart of what I’m talking about here. Sid 6.7, of Serial Ganker, made a comment, or an observational statement to be more accurate, about how the focus of SW:TOR (story) could be used to further its primary goal. He then went on to make a post of his own about it, explaining in a bit more detail what he thinks should be available to developers of the game post lauch. His statement, and post, struck me as particularly interesting based on what I know of the game engine being used.

Drool

Someone at Darth Hater linked this. Pretty good. Jedi are win, and we knew they were going to be in game. Still, it’s nice to have visual eye-candy confirmation.

 

Cryptic Gems

I got an email today from The Great Holocron. It contained the following message:

“Mishuk gotal’u meshuroke, pako kyore.

Seek others.”

A quick google led me to wookieepedia, and this translation:  Pressure makes gems, ease makes decay. Apparently, this is a Mandalorian proverb or phrase. Perhaps, the Great Mandalorian and his will be making a greater appearance in the game than previously thought. Perhaps, as a playable class/race?

Quickie

This is awesome.

Voice of the Future

Someone's totally awesome collection.

Damn, and here’s a related article.

They’re making it very, very difficult not to get spun-up excited about this game. Other than the amazing endeavor they’re setting out to complete, and the quality of it’s progress so far seen in the video, did you pay attention to the gameplay?

I did.

The fact that almost the entire UI disappears during conversations will really help with the immersion of this game. It seems like the only remaining element is the conversation wheel for you to interact with, which is brilliant. During the actual combat, we got glimpses of “Darthevil’s” UI setup. Chat in the top left, map in the bottom right, one row of skills in the middle. Seemed pretty standard. What was more impressive to me, was the actual combat animations. That Sith was right in the mix, it looked as if he was really engaged in the combat.

I’ll spare you all my nerdgasm over the blue/red duel-wield sabers, and keep that tucked down, deep inside.