Next two playable races

[smexymage]

Yes, the Twi'leks have tentacles too, but they are typically behind the player.

 

The very first time I remember seeing a Twi'lek was in Return of the Jedi and the "tentacles" were coming around the front.

 

http://content8.flixster.com/question/51/45/62/5145626_std.jpg

 

Also, the Twi'leks in KOTOR has the same kind of design.

 

http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120624135218/starwars/images/8/87/UnIDTwilekNarShaddaa-KOTOR2.jpg

 

So this stance seems lazy to me and one that has not been properly researched or considered.

[JimG]

The very first time I remember seeing a Twi'lek was in Return of the Jedi and the "tentacles" were coming around the front.

....

Also, the Twi'leks in KOTOR has the same kind of design.

....

So this stance seems lazy to me and one that has not been properly researched or considered.

You're misreading what he said. He said the "Yes, the Twi'leks have tentacles too, but they are typically behind the player.". He's not talking about Twi'leks from the movies or the EU. He's saying that the playable Twi'lek character in this particular game has Lekku in the back and that's easier for all the compatibility/clipping issues than a Togruta or Nautolan would be. Unlike a Twi'lek, either of those species would have to have something coming around the front of the character. Twi'leks can have their Lekku go around the back or the front and, obviously, they chose to have them go around the back for players because it was easier, based on what he said here were the art/clipping issues.

 

Selecting less problematic species to start the game with does not equal "being lazy". They've already said the future of adding any new species will depend upon how well the Cathar do in the Cartel Market. If the Cathar sell well enough, they will make more species. If the Cathar don't sell well, then they probably won't or at least it will take a long time to get any new species. They've already made it very clear though that they aren't going to make any decisions on new species until they see how the Cathar do. If they expect that Togruta or Nautolan will generate enough money on the Cartel Market to make it worth it to devote the extra time to designing them, then I'm sure they'll do it.

[Khalidahm]

We probably would never make a non-English speaking player race. I know it seems attractive, but simply put, hearing alien for way too long drives you crazy. An early build of the game had Tython populated by a race other than Twi'leks, and after about the fourth quest, you want to put a fist through your monitor.

 

So any races we add in the future will need to plausibly be able to speak basic.

 

There have been selkath on clone wars that speak basic, so I could live with it but at least but the voice through a filter to give the raspy voice selkath and kel-dor have. And for a jawa if ever they are very techie so it plausable to assume they could build a translator out of a translator and droid vocabulator.

[Khalidahm]

Selkath for Republic, I want to play one of these fish people, please.

Echani for Imperial, I only saw these in full armour in Kotor2, so lets see what they look like.

 

Echani are white haired humans that are very athletic and good at martial arts, the handmaidens are echini except the one that comes with you "Brianna" her mother was human

[Khalidahm]

Of course we also lack the ability to edit our existing characters in terms of hair or makeup so expecting species is pretty much a pipedream at this point. I personally don't feel much incentive to pay for Cathar when every response to adding more species is that it is super difficult and there is no guarantee that devs will even listen to fans for what species they want. Basically you are holding customers hostage by forcing us to buy the cathar race even if we don't want to roll one just for the small chance you may add more species at a later date. I mean you announced Cathar like a year ago and they still havn't been released it is majorly disappointing that Bioware has consistently failed to give any reasonable responses about species that fans actually want.

 

That might be a difficult thing for some aliens as zabrak or twiliek where their major customisations are their horns and lekku patterns respectivly. The horns on zabrak are tied to their hair so you cant change the hair with our changing the horns and for the twiliek lekkus the patterns on them are either tattooes or pigmentation. Overall it wouldnt seem believable thats like coming in to a story with tattoos all over your face in one scene the next you dont but have a scar instead.

 

It wouldnt seem too difficult for humans, miraluka chiss as the most you could do would probably be change the hair and in the case of miraluka change the mask

[AsheraII]

They don't exist in this era

While true for the Nightsisters there are some things happening on Dathomir around this very era http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Witches_of_Dathomir .

So Bioware could probably use some predecessors of them without breaking lore (much). So I figure they could use that to make a nice force-using companion for the Bounty Hunter out of it.

 

As for Playable races: I still want a Zeltron Imperial Agent. That combination simply makes soo much sense! How could a hedonistic manipulative and seductive species like the Zeltron not fit right in with Imperial Intelligence? And yes, Zeltrons are known during this age already: http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Luxa

Edited January 18, 2013 by AsheraII

[Costello]

Making an alien race fully human playable is a huge amount of work, at least if you want to give players the level of customization options that they have come to expect. It takes a lot of work to make all of the customization options work together and look good, while still ensuring people still can find looks that are unique to each other.

 

The Togruta provide a unique problem in this regard, in regards to the tentacles. Yes, the Twi'leks have tentacles too, but they are typically behind the player, whereas the Togruta's canonically drape across the front of the character. This means that they struggle to work with the existing animations and gear without clipping -- indeed, the first screenshot you see for Ashara if you google her is one with her chin ridiculously clipping through her tentacle. While this may be acceptable for a companion who is frequently offscreen while fighting, or NPCs who we can dress and pose carefully, its much more problematic for player characters who need to be able to wear anything and perform any animation and still look good. (The Twi'leks clip somewhat as well, but much art was tweaked to make this a lot less prevalent than it otherwise would have been)

 

I'm not trying to pour cold water in the species discussion. Quite the opposite - if the Cathar do well, I hope to expand your options even more, and we should know the answer to that 'soonish'. I just don't want anyone to think that just because an alien is currently in the game as an NPC, that it is trivial to turn it into player art -- it's a TON of work to do that, and do it well.

 

It seems to be the case that if we want to see more playable species we have to purchase the Cathar when it comes to the cartel market. Now I have no problem with that, no point in working on something people aren't interest in, equally I don't like Cathar, don't like their back story and wish the Mandalorians had finished the job and wish BW had more consultation with players over what species players would have liked.

 

As such happy to purchase the Cathar to see a much needed addition in species added to the game. But will there be more consultation in the next choice of species that will be implamented. Cause lets face it buying Cathar when it comes out and then finding the next species is just another coloured human with a tenticles down the front instead of the back or the like would just be a waste.

[CharterMonkKent]

Making an alien race fully human playable is a huge amount of work, at least if you want to give players the level of customization options that they have come to expect. It takes a lot of work to make all of the customization options work together and look good, while still ensuring people still can find looks that are unique to each other.

 

The Togruta provide a unique problem in this regard, in regards to the tentacles. Yes, the Twi'leks have tentacles too, but they are typically behind the player, whereas the Togruta's canonically drape across the front of the character. This means that they struggle to work with the existing animations and gear without clipping -- indeed, the first screenshot you see for Ashara if you google her is one with her chin ridiculously clipping through her tentacle. While this may be acceptable for a companion who is frequently offscreen while fighting, or NPCs who we can dress and pose carefully, its much more problematic for player characters who need to be able to wear anything and perform any animation and still look good. (The Twi'leks clip somewhat as well, but much art was tweaked to make this a lot less prevalent than it otherwise would have been)

 

I'm not trying to pour cold water in the species discussion. Quite the opposite - if the Cathar do well, I hope to expand your options even more, and we should know the answer to that 'soonish'. I just don't want anyone to think that just because an alien is currently in the game as an NPC, that it is trivial to turn it into player art -- it's a TON of work to do that, and do it well.

 

Has there been discussion of adding in new scale sized species? We already have the regular, medium and large versions for the humanoid races. Perhaps there could be a new "set" of playable species. Of course it would be a lot of work (gear, cinematics, animations, etc). However going this route, once the new "work" was done, any new variations of the scaled size species could be added more easily (but understandably not "easy").

 

The obvious example would the waist sized species in the Star Wars lore.

 

I see this as a good way to add a lot content over many aspects of the game. Especially to the relatively boring crafting crew skills. A whole new 10-50+ gear set(s) to be crafted (species specific gear, not just AC specific, of course this could and should be added now ). Players would reroll the same classes they have already finished just to play with the new species scale type (= more moola for the game).

 

Food for thought.

[Thylbanus]

We probably would never make a non-English speaking player race. I know it seems attractive, but simply put, hearing alien for way too long drives you crazy. An early build of the game had Tython populated by a race other than Twi'leks, and after about the fourth quest, you want to put a fist through your monitor.

 

So any races we add in the future will need to plausibly be able to speak basic.

 

THANK YOU for settling that. I already hate the alien speak gibberish. I spacebar as soon as I hear it.

[tolaez]

I must say that this aspect of the game has always stuck out like a sore thumb for me. In such a great game to have such lousy species choices really takes away from the experience. It's Star Wars for crying out loud. Such a plethora of really awesome species to choose from. It's way past time to get them in the game. Should have been in from the beginning, but it's too late for that obviously. Work on getting them in now. It will help to keep people around longer too for their alts. Alts are way more fun when you have a new angle to play them from via a new species.

 

My votes got for Nautolan and Mon Calamari.

Edited January 18, 2013 by tolaez

[EcrirTwyLar]

-wookie for republic

-bothan as neutral

 

This! Bothans rule!

[EcrirTwyLar]

Making an alien race fully human playable is a huge amount of work, at least if you want to give players the level of customization options that they have come to expect. It takes a lot of work to make all of the customization options work together and look good, while still ensuring people still can find looks that are unique to each other.

 

The Togruta provide a unique problem in this regard, in regards to the tentacles. Yes, the Twi'leks have tentacles too, but they are typically behind the player, whereas the Togruta's canonically drape across the front of the character. This means that they struggle to work with the existing animations and gear without clipping -- indeed, the first screenshot you see for Ashara if you google her is one with her chin ridiculously clipping through her tentacle. While this may be acceptable for a companion who is frequently offscreen while fighting, or NPCs who we can dress and pose carefully, its much more problematic for player characters who need to be able to wear anything and perform any animation and still look good. (The Twi'leks clip somewhat as well, but much art was tweaked to make this a lot less prevalent than it otherwise would have been)

 

I'm not trying to pour cold water in the species discussion. Quite the opposite - if the Cathar do well, I hope to expand your options even more, and we should know the answer to that 'soonish'. I just don't want anyone to think that just because an alien is currently in the game as an NPC, that it is trivial to turn it into player art -- it's a TON of work to do that, and do it well.

 

I understand that there is a lot of work involved. However, I think if additional playable species were made available in the C-Store, they would also sell well.

[LordExozone]

Making an alien race fully human playable is a huge amount of work, at least if you want to give players the level of customization options that they have come to expect. It takes a lot of work to make all of the customization options work together and look good, while still ensuring people still can find looks that are unique to each other.

 

The Togruta provide a unique problem in this regard, in regards to the tentacles. Yes, the Twi'leks have tentacles too, but they are typically behind the player, whereas the Togruta's canonically drape across the front of the character. This means that they struggle to work with the existing animations and gear without clipping -- indeed, the first screenshot you see for Ashara if you google her is one with her chin ridiculously clipping through her tentacle. While this may be acceptable for a companion who is frequently offscreen while fighting, or NPCs who we can dress and pose carefully, its much more problematic for player characters who need to be able to wear anything and perform any animation and still look good. (The Twi'leks clip somewhat as well, but much art was tweaked to make this a lot less prevalent than it otherwise would have been)

 

I'm not trying to pour cold water in the species discussion. Quite the opposite - if the Cathar do well, I hope to expand your options even more, and we should know the answer to that 'soonish'. I just don't want anyone to think that just because an alien is currently in the game as an NPC, that it is trivial to turn it into player art -- it's a TON of work to do that, and do it well.

 

 

While I understand the difficulties with alien characters, I still feel it is something that should have had more priority in a Starwars MMO. They managed to do it in Galaxies somehow.

 

Anyhow for cool aliens that would not take too much work I'd like to suggest:

 

Trandoshans. - They can speak basic, are humanoid like, and I'm sure the claws can be done by giving players a toggle similar to the helmet toggle, so players get the choice to show the claws or not when wearing boots/gloves.

 

Rodians. - They can speak basic, are humanoid, and only their heads are truly different, and their hands have longer fingers.

 

Nikto. - Again pretty much only a different head.

[Newyankalt]

Trandoshan the trandoshans in the clone wars speak English .

[Altyrell]

While true for the Nightsisters there are some things happening on Dathomir around this very era http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Witches_of_Dathomir .

So Bioware could probably use some predecessors of them without breaking lore (much). So I figure they could use that to make a nice force-using companion for the Bounty Hunter out of it.

 

Except the actual person that "creates" the Witches of Dathomir hasn't been born yet. So, if they specifically included the Nightsisters/Brothers or any of the other Clans would actually break the lore as they wouldn't exist yet.

 

IF they were to add Dathomir then the only things that would be there would be the technological remnants of the Kwa & Rakata. And if they were to have any Inhabitants that weren't brought there by the Republic or Empire, then they would either be people sent by the Paecian Empire or the Shamanistic Humans whom they would NOT be able to refer as either the Nightsisters/Brothers or Witches of Dathomir simply because their "Founder" the Exiled Jedi Knight, Allya hasn't been exiled let alone born yet.

[Altyrell]

Trandoshans. - They can speak basic, are humanoid like, and I'm sure the claws can be done by giving players a toggle similar to the helmet toggle, so players get the choice to show the claws or not when wearing boots/gloves.

 

Or they could turn the Boots/Gloves for them into Shin Guards/Fingerless Gloves

[Stubacca]

Making an alien race fully human playable is a huge amount of work, at least if you want to give players the level of customization options that they have come to expect. It takes a lot of work to make all of the customization options work together and look good, while still ensuring people still can find looks that are unique to each other.

 

The Togruta provide a unique problem in this regard, in regards to the tentacles. Yes, the Twi'leks have tentacles too, but they are typically behind the player, whereas the Togruta's canonically drape across the front of the character. This means that they struggle to work with the existing animations and gear without clipping -- indeed, the first screenshot you see for Ashara if you google her is one with her chin ridiculously clipping through her tentacle. While this may be acceptable for a companion who is frequently offscreen while fighting, or NPCs who we can dress and pose carefully, its much more problematic for player characters who need to be able to wear anything and perform any animation and still look good. (The Twi'leks clip somewhat as well, but much art was tweaked to make this a lot less prevalent than it otherwise would have been)

 

I'm not trying to pour cold water in the species discussion. Quite the opposite - if the Cathar do well, I hope to expand your options even more, and we should know the answer to that 'soonish'. I just don't want anyone to think that just because an alien is currently in the game as an NPC, that it is trivial to turn it into player art -- it's a TON of work to do that, and do it well.

Of course. I do hope we get Wookiees next. What's Star Wars without Wookiees anyway?

[Altyrell]

Of course. I do hope we get Wookiees next. What's Star Wars without Wookiees anyway?

 

Can't speak Basic and would require their own set of Gear.

 

Oh and:

 

We probably would never make a non-English speaking player race. I know it seems attractive, but simply put, hearing alien for way too long drives you crazy. An early build of the game had Tython populated by a race other than Twi'leks, and after about the fourth quest, you want to put a fist through your monitor.

 

So any races we add in the future will need to plausibly be able to speak basic.

[MarkoJinn]

Wompa rats maybe?

[Felioats]

I'd also add that playable species have to be able to speak Basic. So no wookiees, no sullustans, etc.

 

It would get *really* annoying after awhile to have your character not speak Basic.

[manchusabre]

Totally have to wonder how the Cathar was the species picked to be added to the game. There are so many more iconic Star Wars species. I was looking forward to the Cathar being added when I saw the coming this year video that showed them. I had figured it was going to be 2012 though and not a whole year later from the release of that vid. Now I have just about every character slot filled on my server along with every advanced class, it really won't matter when the Cathar gets released.

[kirorx]

After reading alot fo these anti alien responses, i think the fanbase and the devs need to brush up on starwars or at least be fans.

 

I dont find much point in beating my head against a wall so i guess i will give up any hope for interesting species options much like I have given up hope for chat bubbles or iconic planets like Yavin .

 

Just a space game with some starwars stuff in it.

[Anakis]

Jawa! Get a couple of 7 year old kids to voice them. It would be soooooooo cute.

 

I'd also like to play a Hutt. Could you imagine, slithering around at a snail's pace while your groupmates sprint past you? Reminds me of the chubby kids at school.

[Enexemander]

I would really like to see Voss.

 

You could even do fun things with their relationship to the Gormak. Not going to include more because of spoilers.

[CharterMonkKent]

Jawa! Get a couple of 7 year old kids to voice them. It would be soooooooo cute.

 

I'd also like to play a Hutt. Could you imagine, slithering around at a snail's pace while your groupmates sprint past you? Reminds me of the chubby kids at school.

 

In a sandbox star wars game (basically an updated version of SWG) this could actually happen. Hutt! Because in that game there were 32 professions and plenty of those were not combat based. Some of the richest and most powerful people in that game were voted as mayors or ran large mining companies. They would pay combat class folks to be body guards (for pve and pvp), or put out huge bounties on their competition.

 

I don't think that sort of detailed game play could be added here at this point. I'm an avid pvper (with 6 pvp only 50s) that heals raids on my sorc (in all 61s+). So I enjoy this game quite a bit. That being said I was expecting a lot more the first time I logged in. Like 40+ species to select....

 

I was also expecting (incorrectly by a long shot) that SWTOR would expand on the SGW professions. Which I have listed below.

 

Jedi (at first they were incredibly rare and difficult to unlock)

Artisan

Brawler

Entertainer

Marksman

Medic

Scout

Elite/Hybrid Professions

Architect

Armorsmith

Bio-engineer

Bounty Hunter (would run actual bounties on players, send up tracking droids, the whole shebang)

Carbineer

Chef

Combat Medic

Commando

Creature Handler

Dancer

Doctor

Droid Engineer

Fencer

Image Designer

Merchant

Musician

Pikeman

Pistoleer

Ranger

Rifleman

Smuggler

Squad Leader

Swordsman

Tailor

Teras Kasi Artist (punch kicky)

Weaponsmith

 

On top of these you could be a Pilot, Politician (actually run for mayor of cities players would create), Chronicler (create missions for players)

Edited January 18, 2013 by CharterMonkKent