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[DrBo42]

Dreaming about what? That games change over the course of development?

Well, they do. You show me a single game in any genre that looks like it did when it was first shown. Developer's can change whatever they want based on criticism, engine optimization, or whatever else. This wont be the exception. Honestly, I really don't care how it looks right now. I can agree it looks iffy, but why denounce the entire game based on a few shitty screenshots? Seriously. It's one thing to criticize the visuals, but this is just the message board conceit of judging-before-playing at its worst. And of a Bio-fucking-Ware game. It's insanity. It's too cartoony, it's for 12 year olds, it wont look any different when it's released, BioWare has sold out, whatever. We haven't even seen it in motion. Seriously, quit complaining.

I think the real issue is.. who the hell handpicked these screenshots? Come on.

Indeed. Looks pretty bad right now, but let's at least wait for some footage before GAF meltdown number 1,564,398,042.

 

[birdman]

Indeed. Looks pretty bad right now, but let's at least wait for some footage before GAF meltdown number 1,564,398,042.

God, why does that have to be true?

 

[Confidence Man]

Indeed. Looks pretty bad right now, but let's at least wait for some footage before GAF meltdown number 1,564,398,042.

Why should anyone have to wait for footage? This is what they put out there, so too fucking bad for them.

Putrid visuals and cartoon network reject style aside, the idea that we won't be getting a real sequel because this tripe is going to amount to ""Knights of the Old Republic 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9." is the real offense.

 

[laserbeam]

New article that covers the story

http://pc.ign.com/articles/922/922656p1.html

 

[bengraven]

I just noticed this.

I bet a Sims MMO from EA would give this a run for the money.

I'm comparing two massively popular fantasy properties and two well loved game developers. Sims isn't even in the same league, they could have accomplished the same thing by adding chat and party functions to the normal Sims game.

 

[DrBo42]

Why should anyone have to wait for footage? This is what they put out there, so too fucking bad for them.

Putrid visuals and cartoon network reject style aside, the idea that we won't be getting a real sequel because this tripe is going to amount to ""Knights of the Old Republic 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9." is the real offense.

Oh come on. You have no idea what the gameplay is going to be like. You really think constant KotOR sequels wouldn't get stale? You have no idea what calibur of gameplay or story we'll be getting, relax. There's still a chance this could turn out really well.

 

[DarkJC]

Oh come on. You have no idea what the gameplay is going to be like. You really think constant KotOR sequels wouldn't get stale? You have no idea what calibur of gameplay or story we'll be getting, relax. There's still a chance this could turn out really well.

I don't think he cares about KotOR 4-9, but the fact that this MMO is a replacement for a KotOR 3 by Bioware means they're going to have a hell of a time meeting the expectations behind that.

 

[DrBo42]

I don't think he cares about KotOR 4-9, but the fact that this MMO is a replacement for a KotOR 3 by Bioware means they're going to have a hell of a time meeting the expectations behind that.

How would Bioware manage to make a traditional version of KotOR and still keep Mass Effect going? IMO they would be too similar.

 

[ElectricBlue187]

They should not have shown these screenshots because I'm postive the game will NOT look like this on release, they could've just stuck with concept art

Damn I'm so happy about this news. This is THE mmo that would bring me back to the genre. Day 1 no matter what, and I'll give it at least 3 months.

 

[saunderez]

How would Bioware manage to make a traditional version of KotOR and still keep Mass Effect going?

Err...just...do it I guess. Who cares if they are similar, it's not like there is a glut of Sci-Fi RPGS.

 

[DrBo42]

Err...just...do it I guess. Who cares if they are similar, it's not like there is a glut of Sci-Fi RPGS.

I guarantee you that the same people crying about the loss of KotOR 3 right now would be the same people up in arms about ME and the new KotOR being too similar. This is GAF dude. The gameplay isn't even what made KotOR great, it was the story (at least for me). If the MMO manages to capture that, is it really that awful?

 

[Confidence Man]

Oh come on. You have no idea what the gameplay is going to be like. You really think constant KotOR sequels wouldn't get stale? You have no idea what calibur of gameplay or story we'll be getting, relax. There's still a chance this could turn out really well.

It could certainly turn out to be a good game in it's own right, but when I envision what I would want out of a sequel to the KOTOR series a monthly subscription fee and thousands of dickhead jedi running around is definitely not part of the picture.

 

[DrBo42]

It could certainly turn out to be a good game in it's own right, but when I envision what I would want out of a sequel to the KOTOR series a monthly subscription fee and thousands of dickhead jedi running around is definitely not part of the picture.

I completely understand those complaints. Let's just see how it turns out, alright?

*Starts to sing* Mmmmm give peace a chanceeeeeeee. Love one another and start to danceeeeeee. Take that saber out of your paaann... Nevermind.

 

[saunderez]

If the MMO manages to capture that, is it really that awful?

Yep because I'm not playing another MMO. Ever. I've had enough attempts (Everquest, WoW, Eve Online, Guild Wars, City of Heroes) and I never make it past the first month. It turns out being a massive waste of cash, particularly if they sell the client as a full priced game. If it were Guild Wars style I might give it a bash, but if its a traditional MMO I'm keeping a wide berth.

 

[∀ Narayan]

I should excpect another GOTY then

Mass Effect didn't win such an award from any major publication, unless you count TeamXbox as a major publication. It's alright if you considered it your game of the year. I suppose I can respect that.

 

[Draft]

Mass Effect didn't win such an award from any major publication, unless you count TeamXbox as a major publication. It's alright if you considered it your game of the year. I suppose I can respect that.

Can you name a more definitive source of Xbox news and reviews than TeamXbox? You can't so don't even try.

 

[No Means Nomad]

Dreaming about what? That games change over the course of development?

Well, they do. You show me a single game in any genre that looks like it did when it was first shown. Developer's can change whatever they want based on criticism, engine optimization, or whatever else. This wont be the exception. Honestly, I really don't care how it looks right now. I can agree it looks iffy, but why denounce the entire game based on a few shitty screenshots? Seriously. It's one thing to criticize the visuals, but this is just the message board conceit of judging-before-playing at its worst. And of a Bio-fucking-Ware game. It's insanity. It's too cartoony, it's for 12 year olds, it wont look any different when it's released, BioWare has sold out, whatever. We haven't even seen it in motion. Seriously, quit complaining.

I think the real issue is.. who the hell handpicked these screenshots? Come on.

Nobody is denouncing the game completely. Like I said, it could turn out to be good, but you have to take things at face value. Right now the game has an art style that doesn't fit the source material, and is vastly inferior in every respect to it's direct competitors in the MMO market.

That's all I'm saying, that's all anyone can say besides ruminating about the focus on story that they haven't explained. If you're that staunch a defender of the game and you realize that the graphics are a small part of a much broader subject that can actually be intellectually discussed I would advise you to focus on posts like this.

 

[Lilsnubby]

thousands of dickhead jedi running around is definitely not part of the picture.

I dunno as someone who is going Sith all the way - lighting up dickhead Jedi doesn't sound all that bad.

 

[Malfunky]

Nobody is denouncing the game completely.

Of course they are. This thread is filled with them. They wont play it because it looks like a kid's game or they wont touch it because it's an MMO. That's who I've been referring to. Shouldn't they take things at face value and realize they really don't know a thing about the game?

I'm really not defending the game itself. Like I said, I don't care how it looks. Apart from a few poorly chosen and extremely (and probably intentionally)basic and vague screenshots, I don't even know how the entire game looks. Nobody does. Just the mere fact that such a credible studio is being so heavily discredited truly annoys me. I understand the disappointment about there not being a pretty new KOTOR3, but people just aren't being fair. Give it a chance. It could very well look better in motion, and especially when it's nearing release.

On the story subject, I'm very cautious. Each class has it's own story, with no shared content? What does this mean for grouping? The game's about being a hero? That's one of my pet peeves in MMOs. How can I feel like the hero when I just see another level X Jedi going through the same arc I did? Oh, so now he's the chosen one? It cheapens the whole experience. I don't want to be the next in line of a thousand heroes who have already saved the world from the same problems.

But again, I don't know anything about the game. I'm not defending it and I'm not critiquing it. We can only make vague observations until they give us some info.

 

[No Means Nomad]

Of course they are. This thread is filled with them. They wont play it because it looks like a kid's game or they wont touch it because it's an MMO. That's who I've been referring to. Shouldn't they take things at face value and realize they really don't know a thing about the game?

Boss, we're on the same page.

KOTOR was already as close to an MMO as a single player game could get, so the genre switch isn't really all that surprising or something that should be complained about.

Although it is disappointing to hear about their single player games (Mass Effect) being put on a back burner of sorts. So much for a trilogy.

 

[Lilsnubby]

Initally the outcry against an MMO and for a single player experience was a plight worthy of sympathy from any fan of the original and it's underrated, if flawed, sequel. We all loved the gif. At this point however, the incessant petulant whining has become pointless and annoying. It's going to be an MMO. Bioware has a HUGE challenge ahead to meet expectations. While the art style and a few pre-alpha screen shots are certainly open to criticism, it's probably a long way out. Lets give a very talented and storied developer the benefit of the doubt here.

 

[Farnack]

Ignore him, he hates MMOs and Star Wars yet he's reading the thread anyway.

Oh please, find out what a good MMO is by playing WoW.

This is just going to be another Age of Conan or The Matrix Online disaster. The current Star Wars MMO is enough already. Just more crap dependent on name sake to sell.

 

[Sol..]

Oh please, find out what a good MMO is by playing Sims Online

fixed.

 

[BrokenSymmetry]

New screenshots (more in this article: CVG).

 

[StuBurns]

The character looks lame, but the room and the creature look really cool. I know a lot of people are very disappointed, but I think it looks good.

 

[Manager]

I think that screenshot looks a lot better than the previous ones.

Anyway, not much new said about the game since the announcement right?

Edge had this "Inside The Old Republic" article:
http://www.edge-online.com/magazine/inside-the-old-republic?page=0,1

 

[BuddyC]

First trailer:

http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/56349

 

[Darkpen]

First trailer:

http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/56349

Interesting. I wonder if there will be a disconnect between the story stuff, versus normal play and interaction with other players, as is the case with most mmorpgs that have a heavy emphasis on storytelling

 

[Manager]

First trailer:

http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/56349

Here's a tiny bit better quality on the official site:
http://www.swtor.com/media/vidcasts/viddoc001

Haven't found any high-res version though.

 

[BuddyC]

Here's a tiny bit better quality on the official site:
http://www.swtor.com/media/vidcasts/viddoc001

Haven't found any high-res version though.

Sounds like the high-res won't be available for download till Monday, going by an e-mail LucasArts just sent out.

 

[Falagard]

First trailer:

http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/56349

Looked pretty cool. I was impressed.

 

[XiaNaphryz]

Sounds like the high-res won't be available for download till Monday, going by an e-mail LucasArts just sent out.

Probably will be a Quicktime file, from their previous TFU vids.

 

[Snaku]

Here's a tiny bit better quality on the official site:
http://www.swtor.com/media/vidcasts/viddoc001

Yeah, got that video in an email from Bioware. Lightsaber combat looks much smoother now. I just hope the single player campaign is faithful to KotOR tradition.

 

[Kintaro]

They certainly talk a good game. Alot of focus on the single player aspect of what they're trying to do. Anytime Bioware brings up "choice" though, I get wary. How will that impact questing and groups with others? Hmm...

Maybe they're taking a more PSO approach with this or something.