Swtor's Secret Space Project Speculation

[DesktopMinion]

Hey Forum,

 

Firstly let me direct your attention to this link.

 

http://www.swtor.com/blog/what%E2%80%99s-next-old-republic

 

"We also have a special project going on right now that will expand space gameplay in a significant way..."

 

What do you guys think this 'Special Project' will turn out to be?...personally i think it might be some sort of pvp based OFF RAILS space combat.

 

Please understand that this thread is for pure speculation and nothing here will be confirmed unless posted by a developer.

 

Let the speculation begin...

 

 

(Just putting this up to my main post since it's my 'big' idea.

 

In terms of a space combat related PVP gamemode, i think they should just rip Battlefront 2's space combat RIGHT out and plonk it into a PVP match.

 

Start off on faction ship (Either Republic or Empire obviously) and get in a ship and start dogfighting in OFF RAILS combat.

1. Head toward enemy ship and land in docking bay, jumping out and heading to the ship's defences (Shields etc)

2. After depleting enemy shields you work with your team to sabotage the hyperspace engine.

3. After the objective above has been completed you can place charges on the main engine and blow the ship sky high.

 

Bare in mind that this kind of gamemode would need around 30-40 player PVP game.

Edited January 18, 2012 by DesktopMinion

[Figmentus]

This may sound like anti-hyperbole (word may not exist) but I honestly think they will allow you to change the color of your space ship... in about 6 months.

 

jokes aside I think if they are thinking about expanding the space game they will need to add a reason to do it after hitting 50. Currently all space is good for is money and xp. None of the 50's I know have done any space missions since they hit 50. So they will probably add some sort of "token" for endgame content. No other big changes are likely coming since it would require a major redesign of the architecture.

Edited January 17, 2012 by Figmentus

[Chaffery]

I'm hoping so, been crying after space combat since Freelancer.

However can't imagine doing space combat with current ships, AKA slow turning corvette class.

Perhaps fighters will be introduced.

Edited January 17, 2012 by Chaffery

[tcalusine]

we can only hope they "expand space gameplay in a significant way..."

 

I truly thought the space combat was great. For a whole 2 weeks of dailys even. Now though, I am completely bored with it. Its fun, just SEVERLY limited.

 

Bigger, better, and less rails please...

[Alohen]

Any Improvements will be good. The Rails arent that bad, but can be annoying when the first time I played, I didnt get all the objectives cause the ship took me away D:

[DesktopMinion]

In terms of a space combat related PVP gamemode, i think they should just rip Battlefront 2's space combat RIGHT out and plonk it into a PVP match.

 

• Start off on faction ship (Either Republic or Empire obviously) and get in a ship and start dogfighting in OFF RAILS combat.
  
• Head toward enemy ship and land in docking bay, jumping out and heading to the ship's defences (Shields etc)
  
• After depleting enemy shields you work with your team to sabotage the hyperspace engine.
  
• After the objective above has been completed you can place charges on the main engine and blow the ship sky high.
  

 

Bare in mind that this kind of gamemode would need around 30-40 player PVP game.

Edited January 17, 2012 by DesktopMinion

[Liniert]

the only thing i can see that i would enjoy would be off rails pvp, which really isnt going to happen

[Errathe]

JTL but better, with SWTOR graphics, pretty please, thank you!

[coldcite]

I'm very excited about this announcement as well, however there's something boggling my mind...

 

Will this new "space expansion" co-exist with the current implementation? (starfighter combat)

Will it expand it (multiplayer rail-shooting on steroids)?

A mix of both? (free roam with your current ship where you can pick up current space missions and maybe starfighter combat)

[DesktopMinion]

It was mind boggling why they had devoted a small amount of the game to space combat, it was one of Star Wars main features that got me hooked on the movies

[Goretzu]

I'm hoping so, been crying after space combat since Freelancer.

However can't imagine doing space combat with current ships, AKA slow turning corvette class.

Perhaps fighters will be introduced.

 

 

 

Makes little differene.

 

SW space battles are NOT based on real space physics, they are based on fun atmospheric flight in space style "physics".

 

So there's no reason the current ships couldn't handle however they wanted them too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I really hope space combat is going to be expanded and soon. Space is a massive part of SW, but at the moment it's not really part of SWTOR.

[Ravanofdarkness]

They should add the Space Combat and Exploration like they did with Star Wars Galaxies, you can't tell me a Game that old that had it can't be put into this Game. If that's the case i would advice BioWare to stop making Multiplayer Games. Because People like myself that loves SWG where really offended by the garbage SpaceComabt you have given to us in this Game that feels nothing more then a 5$ App Game for my iPhone or iPad2.

[Sky_walkerPL]

In terms of a space combat related PVP gamemode, i think they should just rip Battlefront 2's space combat RIGHT out and plonk it into a PVP match.

 

• Start off on faction ship (Either Republic or Empire obviously) and get in a ship and start dogfighting in OFF RAILS combat.
  
• Head toward enemy ship and land in docking bay, jumping out and heading to the ship's defences (Shields etc)
  
• After depleting enemy shields you work with your team to sabotage the hyperspace engine.
  
• After the objective above has been completed you can place charges on the main engine and blow the ship sky high.
  

 

Bare in mind that this kind of gamemode would need around 30-40 player PVP game.

 

This.

+ I'm all in for actually massive battles (if 32 player game can be gonsidered massive in a first place... I have some doubts about that). After all: It's massive multiplayer online game, right? So far I'm missing any massive battles (even on Ilum most players fighting I have seen were.... 6). Would love to see something on bigger scale in BF-alike space combat!

Edited January 17, 2012 by Sky_walkerPL

[coldcite]

They should add the Space Combat and Exploration like they did with Star Wars Galaxies, you can't tell me a Game that old that had it can't be put into this Game. If that's the case i would advice BioWare to stop making Multiplayer Games. Because People like myself that loves SWG where really offended by the garbage SpaceComabt you have given to us in this Game that feels nothing more then a 5$ App Game for my iPhone or iPad2.

 

I feel you.

 

The only reason I played SWG was space combat and crafting (and maybe its "subtles" social features).

Ground combat sucked though, although BM was pretty cool, deemed not very starwarsy and iconic but fun nonetheless.

[keijim]

What do you guys think this 'Special Project' will turn out to be?

 

Still on rail shooting but this time the ship goes backwards

[Black_Rabbit]

 

expand

 

[/center]

 

That word says it all. "Expanding" something, means to work on top of what is already there, or they would have said "Reinventing" or "Change" so the rail combat is not about to go.

 

I am happy with the current, one, even though I would love free flight, is not going to be here for a year at least I say.

Edited January 17, 2012 by Black_Rabbit

[kineticdamage]

Actually, the space plans for future dev is quite unveiled with something we all have in our ships : the Escape Pod.

 

Look at it :

- every ship has it

- it's a functionning door

- it's called escape pod

- there is a message popping "not available yet" when you use it.

 

Now in which scenario would you have to be able to use an available door to space from every ship ?

One answer : space battles.

 

Right now, when you die in space, you're just prompted to restart the mission or return to your ship cockpit.

So if there is an intentional way to escape your ship from a battle while manually walking inside it, this means we'll have freeroaming in space, nothing more, nothing less. This Escape Pod would be used like every escape pod, aka when your ship is out of control from severe damage.

 

It's pretty logical, considering the amount of already produced space assets, the way we can customize our ship parts, and the way there's already a whole galaxy to roam in.

It's also logical as SWG was shut down for Swtor release, and how Jump to Lightspeed was a real success. Bioware is just gonna take the relay.

 

I could take 4:1 bets on it, seriously, or that something mostly like it will be implemented "soon" (©).

 

I can say this is gonna mega-boost the whole game value. Everybody dreams of wandering into Star Wars' space, with his own ship.

Edited January 17, 2012 by kineticdamage

[Figmentus]

Actually, the space plans for future dev is quite unveiled with something we all have in our ships : the Escape Pod.

 

Look at it :

- every ship has it

- it's a functionning door

- it's called escape pod

- there is a message popping "not available yet" when you use it.

 

Now in which scenario would you have to be able to use an available door to space from every ship ?

One answer : space battles.

 

Right now, when you die in space, you're just prompted to restart the mission or return to your ship cockpit.

So if there is an intentional way to escape your ship from a battle while manually walking inside it, this means we'll have freeroaming in space, nothing more, nothing less.

 

It's pretty logical, considering the amount of already produced space assets, the way we can customize our ship parts, and the way there's already a whole galaxy to roam in.

It's also logical as SWG was shut down for Swtor release, and how Jump to Lightspeed was a real success. Bioware is just gonna take the relay.

 

I could take 4:1 bets on it, seriously.

 

I can say this is gonna mega-boost the whole game value. Everybody dreams of wandering into Star Wars' space, with his own ship.

 

He has a good point, thought I think his extrapolation is incorrect. Free roaming flight is not coming. The escape pod will likely be just a direct load to planet option. You can "drop" into different towns or heroic areas. From everything seen so far I would prefer to have fully flushed open world space game, but that is not likely.

[tcalusine]

In terms of a space combat related PVP gamemode, i think they should just rip Battlefront 2's space combat RIGHT out and plonk it into a PVP match.

 

• Start off on faction ship (Either Republic or Empire obviously) and get in a ship and start dogfighting in OFF RAILS combat.
  
• Head toward enemy ship and land in docking bay, jumping out and heading to the ship's defences (Shields etc)
  
• After depleting enemy shields you work with your team to sabotage the hyperspace engine.
  
• After the objective above has been completed you can place charges on the main engine and blow the ship sky high.
  

 

Bare in mind that this kind of gamemode would need around 30-40 player PVP game.

 

Quote AGAIN for truth.

 

Battlefronts space battles were fun. If we cant have fully realised free-roam and exploration then at least give us some battlefront type pvp match like described here.

[kineticdamage]

Actually, the space plans for future dev is quite unveiled with something we all have in our ships : the Escape Pod.

 

Look at it :

- every ship has it

- it's a functionning door

- it's called escape pod

- there is a message popping "not available yet" when you use it.

 

Now in which scenario would you have to be able to use an available door to space from every ship ?

One answer : space battles.

 

Right now, when you die in space, you're just prompted to restart the mission or return to your ship cockpit.

So if there is an intentional way to escape your ship from a battle while manually walking inside it, this means we'll have freeroaming in space, nothing more, nothing less. This Escape Pod would be used like every escape pod, aka when your ship is out of control from severe damage.

 

It's pretty logical, considering the amount of already produced space assets, the way we can customize our ship parts, and the way there's already a whole galaxy to roam in.

It's also logical as SWG was shut down for Swtor release, and how Jump to Lightspeed was a real success. Bioware is just gonna take the relay.

 

I could take 4:1 bets on it, seriously, or that something mostly like it will be implemented "soon" (©).

 

I can say this is gonna mega-boost the whole game value. Everybody dreams of wandering into Star Wars' space, with his own ship.

 

He has a good point, thought I think his extrapolation is incorrect. Free roaming flight is not coming. The escape pod will likely be just a direct load to planet option. You can "drop" into different towns or heroic areas. From everything seen so far I would prefer to have fully flushed open world space game, but that is not likely.

 

Direct drop to planet is also another plausible option I admit

 

Actually freeroaming would cost nearly nothing to Bioware : they already have all the assets, the coordinates, and the ship gameplay. All they would have to do is to create a bunch of mission hubs like Jump to Lightspeed, except you wouldn't be forced to trigger them from the ground.

 

Hell, they even already have all the targets in all the existing ships and fregates/destroyers (shield generator, command center, turrets, etc) necessary for full-scale space battle strategies (like group battles, squadron Red shooting shield gens, blue shooting turrets, green unloading ground missions into the ship, etc).

All they have to do is turn off the rails

 

edit : the problem with Escape Pod dropping to random planet zones is that it's not necessary. Planets are not huge enough for them to implement what would just be taxi-skipping, monthes before such an extension. Plus, why would it be called "Escape" Pod ?

Edited January 17, 2012 by kineticdamage

[MaverickXIV]

Actually, the space plans for future dev is quite unveiled with something we all have in our ships : the Escape Pod.

 

Look at it :

- every ship has it

- it's a functionning door

- it's called escape pod

- there is a message popping "not available yet" when you use it.

 

Now in which scenario would you have to be able to use an available door to space from every ship ?

One answer : space battles.

 

Right now, when you die in space, you're just prompted to restart the mission or return to your ship cockpit.

So if there is an intentional way to escape your ship from a battle while manually walking inside it, this means we'll have freeroaming in space, nothing more, nothing less. This Escape Pod would be used like every escape pod, aka when your ship is out of control from severe damage.

 

It's pretty logical, considering the amount of already produced space assets, the way we can customize our ship parts, and the way there's already a whole galaxy to roam in.

It's also logical as SWG was shut down for Swtor release, and how Jump to Lightspeed was a real success. Bioware is just gonna take the relay.

 

I could take 4:1 bets on it, seriously, or that something mostly like it will be implemented "soon" (©).

 

I can say this is gonna mega-boost the whole game value. Everybody dreams of wandering into Star Wars' space, with his own ship.

The escape pod is for when you're stuck on a friend's ship.

 

Free space flight is not easy to just add into the game. Developing something like that takes time.

[sosolidshoe]

Before I actually played the game, I would have been hoping that that little hint meant they were essentially going to port JtL over from SWG and use TOR graphics, because I was a huge fan of the X-Wing and TIE games as a kid. However, after actually giving the space gameplay a go myself, I hope they don't, because putting aside the on-rails aspect, it's reminded me heavily of another space game I really enjoyed; Freelancer.

 

If Bioware could give me an online Star Wars version of Freelancer, I would be subbed to this game until the servers die.

[Figmentus]

I think your idea is ideal. It is what I would want from a space flight game, but the reality is that it would require creating another game completely on top of the ground game. Yes the assets are there as far as ships, targeting reticles, and the like. But they would still have to create the "space", divide the space into different areas, create spawn mobs, "dungeons", player UI for spaceflight, space flight skills, more in-depth ship upgrading and customization, space quest theme parks, multiplayer ships, more ships, new galaxy map, etc...

 

Like with SWG, JTL was almost 2 years after launch. So I would expect a similar timeframe, IF they even ARE going this direction. But that is what speculation is all about. If "ifs" and "buts" were candy and nuts...

[cesmode]

In another post, I had stated that I think Space Combat is great, underappreciated, and underrated. I think they could/should do the following:

 

1. Random 'world' events: Lets say you are in the Fleet, just wondering around, and then you hear some announcement or warning sirens go off that the repub/imperials are attacking. You get a quest in your log to go defend the station. I an no mastermind of the details, or whether or not you should be able to see other people as you do this mission to defend the station, but it could be neat. This is pulling from what Rift does really well, which is making the world and environment dynamic with these random events that happen several times per day.

 

2. Ship customization: Maybe change some of the coloring of your ship, or decorations inside. I mean, after all, the droid says you have living quarters. What about spicing it up?

 

3. Different types of ships to purchase?

[kineticdamage]

The escape pod is for when you're stuck on a friend's ship.

 

If it was just a /stuck button, then why isn't it market as "not available yet" ? :-)

 

Free space flight is not easy to just add into the game. Developing something like that takes time.

 

It's not easy I agree. But we have to keep in mind that SWG:JtLS is shut down, and Bioware could very likely have been granted the rights to refactor space gameplay code framework.

It should just cost the interfacing. JtLS was bug free in my memories (and awesome sauce, too).

 

 

I think your idea is ideal. It is what I would want from a space flight game, but the reality is that it would require creating another game completely on top of the ground game. Yes the assets are there as far as ships, targeting reticles, and the like. But they would still have to create the "space", divide the space into different areas, create spawn mobs, "dungeons", player UI for spaceflight, space flight skills, more in-depth ship upgrading and customization, space quest theme parks, multiplayer ships, more ships, new galaxy map, etc...

 

Like with SWG, JTL was almost 2 years after launch. So I would expect a similar timeframe, IF they even ARE going this direction. But that is what speculation is all about. If "ifs" and "buts" were candy and nuts...

 

Space is already divided, there would just be an invisible wall like in JtLS and actual swtor planets.

Spawn points are effortless to implement.

Space UI is already there.

 

And for the other features you mentionned, they really don't need to implement so many from day one to make it valuable, believe me ^^

Refactoring the current assets without rails + adding mission hubs (like mission terminals on ground) + refactoring Jump to Lighspeed code would be sufficient by a far margin for a lot of players.

Edited January 17, 2012 by kineticdamage