Space Combat in The Old Republic (continued from pre launch)

[utio]

Have really enjoyed what I have played thus far (ie; five missions, plus repeats of all). It took some Ship Upgrades to compensate for my lack of skill at such things to succeed at them, but consider this a worthy investment.

 

Of the five, I believe my fave SI mission (don't know if these differ per class or not) is the Cartel Listening Outpost; a mix of fighters, large ships, and a vast platform as the priority target. Great looks; terrific battle sequence, IMO.

 

The one shown in the pre-launch events with the asteroids was the most difficult for me, as I want to bob, when weaving would have been a better call; only one with a fatal crash involved.

 

And thanks to a loading screen note, I discovered that shields do not regen while firing, so I have to ease off the trigger a bit more, or hope that armor continues to show up in store inventories.

 

While I still hope that Free Form ship combat gets added in an expansion, I am content with having more of this for my play.

 

Trust me, after a while you will tire of it. It's fun initially but you soon crave for the real deal. Glad ur enjoying it ATM tho:)

[Lord_Ravenhurst]

It does sound like with might see multi-player on-the-rail space combat eventually.

 

Although really that's not what most are hoping for.

 

 

So, in six month we probably get 2-4 twitchy rail-spaceships... or space-railships on our screens doing missions in co-op mode? Wow, this is all way to exciting.

[metalgearyoda]

So, in six month we probably get 2-4 twitchy rail-spaceships... or space-railships on our screens doing missions in co-op mode? Wow, this is all way to exciting.

 

My feelings exactly.

[Tarka]

So, in six month we probably get 2-4 twitchy rail-spaceships... or space-railships on our screens doing missions in co-op mode? Wow, this is all way to exciting.

 

And in six months we'll have Tera, TSW, Diablo 3 and most likely GW2.

[Lord_Ravenhurst]

And in six months we'll have Tera, TSW, Diablo 3 and most likely GW2.

 

What does TSW mean?

 

yeah, I´m pretty excited about Tera and GW2 too.

 

Unfortunately none of the above are set in the Star Wars universe. LucasArts should give out way more SW licences to different developers.

[Tarka]

What does TSW mean?

 

yeah, I´m pretty excited about Tera and GW2 too.

 

Unfortunately none of the above are set in the Star Wars universe. LucasArts should give out way more SW licences to different developers.

 

The Secret World. An MMO being developed by Funcom and published by EA.

 

As for the Star Wars IP licence, even though I agree, unfortunately LA does not.

 

Two years ago, there was a rumour that LA was cancelling all externally created Star Wars projects, with the exception of SWTOR:

 

http://kotaku.com/5614577/rumor-lucasarts-cancels-force-unleashed-3-begins-culling-developers

Edited March 16, 2012 by Tarka

[cbowsin]

Trust me, after a while you will tire of it. It's fun initially but you soon crave for the real deal. Glad ur enjoying it ATM tho:)

 

Been doing space combat since September. Have yet to tire of it. To each their own i suppose.

[Elhanan]

Been doing space combat since September. Have yet to tire of it. To each their own i suppose.

 

heh! Two positive reviews on a single page of the issue, and the thread gets lost in translation!

 

What Mission thus far is your favorite? And do you have the same Missions as other classes?

[Trenter]

And in six months we'll have Tera, TSW, Diablo 3 and most likely GW2.

 

Wait, those games have 3d flight space combat?

[metalgearyoda]

Wait, those games have 3d flight space combat?

 

No, but neither will this game.

[Galius]

Wait, those games have 3d flight space combat?

 

Those games don't need it since they have nothing to do with space... but of course you already knew that.

Edited March 17, 2012 by Galius

[brentonj]

They dodged questions about -REAL- space combat at the guild summit, and they've continued to ignore it since beta.

 

It's not happening. With a game of this size and budget, it just amazes me that they simply don't care.

Edited March 17, 2012 by brentonj

[Lord_Ravenhurst]

As for the Star Wars IP licence, even though I agree, unfortunately LA does not.

 

Two years ago, there was a rumour that LA was cancelling all externally created Star Wars projects, with the exception of SWTOR:

 

http://kotaku.com/5614577/rumor-lucasarts-cancels-force-unleashed-3-begins-culling-developers

 

Perhaps - and this is merely speculation - there is something big going on at LucasArts regarding a possible Battlefront III or new multiplayer X-Wing vs. Tie Fighter game.

 

Here´s an interesting video from someone who put a lot of research into this:

 

Proof of Star Wars: Battlefront III 2011 Episode 1

 

and check this out:

 

LucasArts hiring for FPS, aerial combat, action/adventure games

 

 

To me, the best thing would be a kind of Star Wars Galaxies 2 /non-themepark MMO with more action based aerial/ground/atmospheric combat, all based in an open world star system. Have lost my hopes that SWTOR will head into this direction. Perhaps they are not even allowed to do so?

 

LucasArts job listing hints at in-development 'open-world RPG'

 

 

OPEN. WORLD. RPG. ----> YES

Edited March 17, 2012 by Lord_Ravenhurst

[AislingKerrigan]

Well said. For now, I am ignoring the space combat as if it isn't even part of the game. I am pretty sure there are Iphone apps that are better and more interesting.

 

You're actually right. The Galaxy on Fire series is impressive for a near-full featured space flight/combat game.

[Goretzu]

Wait, those games have 3d flight space combat?

 

You don't really expect it in those (a Spelljammer MMO would be great however ).

 

But Star Wars you do..... and in the only other Star Wars MMORPG..... you did (you could even fly them around a planet at the end).

[Goretzu]

You're actually right. The Galaxy on Fire series is impressive for a near-full featured space flight/combat game.

 

 

 

Ok

, makes you realise how undeveloped SWTOR space combat really is.

[metalgearyoda]

Perhaps - and this is merely speculation - there is something big going on at LucasArts regarding a possible Battlefront III or new multiplayer X-Wing vs. Tie Fighter game.

 

Here´s an interesting video from someone who put a lot of research into this:

 

Proof of Star Wars: Battlefront III 2011 Episode 1

 

and check this out:

 

LucasArts hiring for FPS, aerial combat, action/adventure games

 

 

To me, the best thing would be a kind of Star Wars Galaxies 2 /non-themepark MMO with more action based aerial/ground/atmospheric combat, all based in an open world star system. Have lost my hopes that SWTOR will head into this direction. Perhaps they are not even allowed to do so?

 

LucasArts job listing hints at in-development 'open-world RPG'

 

 

OPEN. WORLD. RPG. ----> YES

 

What if LA is handling the patch that'll be space flight?

 

o_O

 

Its our only hope.

[brentonj]

Ok

, makes you realise how undeveloped SWTOR space combat really is.

 

Indeed.

 

I liken Swtor currently to the ToRTanic.

Edited March 17, 2012 by brentonj

[Tarka]

Wait, those games have 3d flight space combat?

 

Nope, I think you missed the point of that statement. Although I suspect that was deliberate my friend

[Tarka]

What if LA is handling the patch that'll be space flight?

 

o_O

 

Its our only hope.

 

Very doubtful. It's more likely that they are working on their own Star Wars based RPG game internally. Whilst leaving Bioware to get on with what they want to do.

 

Bioware actually said that LA have little input into SWTOR, aside from ensuring that the canonical Star Wars lore remains intact.

[Lord_Ravenhurst]

Very doubtful. It's more likely that they are working on their own Star Wars based RPG game internally. Whilst leaving Bioware to get on with what they want to do.

 

Bioware actually said that LA have little input into SWTOR, aside from ensuring that the canonical Star Wars lore remains intact.

 

That would finally explain why they needed to shut down an open world MMO like Star Wars Galaxies, which still had its paying fanbase. It should be clear that the players of SWG are not much into playing theme-park MMOs like SWTOR, so that decision only makes sense if there is a new open world RPG similiar to SWG in the pipeline.

 

 

According to this article it was mainly LucasArts decision, not Sony Online who said it needed to be shut down. Also the licence contracts end was 2012.

 

Also check out this article.

Edited March 17, 2012 by Lord_Ravenhurst

[Deewe]

Perhaps - and this is merely speculation - there is something big going on at LucasArts regarding a possible Battlefront III or new multiplayer X-Wing vs. Tie Fighter game.

 

Here´s an interesting video from someone who put a lot of research into this:

 

Proof of Star Wars: Battlefront III 2011 Episode 1

Check at 19:30:

hint 4: Story; Make it nice but focus on the gameplay

 

Don't focus on story, please focus more on the multiplayer and the balance.

 

This guy got it right. 2 years ago.

[Tarka]

That would finally explain why they needed to shut down an open world MMO like Star Wars Galaxies, which still had its paying fanbase. It should be clear that the players of SWG are not much into playing theme-park MMOs like SWTOR, so that decision only makes sense if there is a new open world RPG similiar to SWG in the pipeline.

 

 

According to this article it was mainly LucasArts decision, not Sony Online who said it needed to be shut down. Also the licence contracts end was 2012.

 

Also check out this article.

 

As far as I can tell from those articles, it wasn't LA who mainly decided the fate of SWG. The fact was that the licence for running SWG as a Star Wars game was up for renewal and the two companies decided that it wasn't in their best interest to renew it.

 

As John Smedley said in the second article:

I started off by asking John about the reason behind the cancellation and whether or not it was a matter of LucasArts choosing not to renew the contract with SOE.

John Smedley: The decision to shut down SWG is first and foremost a business decision mutually agreed upon between SOE and LucasArts. LucasArts has a new game coming out, and the contract would be running out in 2012 anyway, so we feel like it's the right time for the game to end.

 

Now, is JS telling the entire truth? I doubt we will ever know for sure. Businessmen are seldom completely honest. But perhaps he realised that SWTOR was the final nail in the proverbial coffin, so perhaps he thought it was better for SOE to shut it down on their terms rather than be forced to because of a competitors game. In other words, he was saving face.

Edited March 17, 2012 by Tarka

[Lord_Ravenhurst]

Now, is JS telling the entire truth? I doubt we will ever know for sure. Businessmen are seldom completely honest. But perhaps he realised that SWTOR was the final nail in the proverbial coffin, so perhaps he thought it was better for SOE to shut it down on their terms rather than be forced to because of a competitors game. In other words, he was saving face.

 

I´m pretty sure LucasArts has either given out another licence to a different dev or is developing an "Open World RPG" in-house (which might be set in the Star Wars universe) combined with a space flight/exploration sim.

 

Could it be possible that BW is not even allowed to take space flight off the rails? Could this be a licence restriction?

 

Also the "Clone Wars Adventure" has the same rail flight experience. Why? It´s a kids game, but SWTOR is not for kids.

 

Perhaps LucasArts simply does not want another Star Wars based flight sim around when their own product hits the market?

 

Speculation is fun....

[Galius]

It's sad really.... so much potential wasted on this mini game that could have been better served as a fully integrated system that didn't feel so out of place in a MMO.

 

But what do I know... I'm just a player of that game not a developer right?