Any news for Swtor 2? (some specullative spoilers inside)

[sleepr]

Even if the rumor isn't true and just something made up, there will be a new Star Wars MMO in a couple of years... new movies coming out, EA already made SWTOR profitable and it will continue to be for a couple of years and they know very well that if they announce a brand new MMO in the Star Wars universe they'll get players attention again.

 

I honestly believe that with the right tools (frostbite 3, not that crappy hero engine) and with the experience some of the devs @ Bioware Austin have now, they could do a great game instead of just a good game (subjective of course).

[Essence_of_Light]

Even if the rumor isn't true and just something made up, there will be a new Star Wars MMO in a couple of years... new movies coming out, EA already made SWTOR profitable and it will continue to be for a couple of years and they know very well that if they announce a brand new MMO in the Star Wars universe they'll get players attention again.

 

I honestly believe that with the right tools (frostbite 3, not that crappy hero engine) and with the experience some of the devs @ Bioware Austin have now, they could do a great game instead of just a good game (subjective of course).

 

I dunno... making an MMO takes a lot of resources. Somehow I doubt they'd make one so quickly. If they were to make another, I'm guessing it would be in 6 or so years. But hey, I could be wrong.

[Clarian]

Some of the details of the class story arcs are quite unexpected and imaginative.

Yeah, I agree. If they were going to finish the class stories...they could do worse.

[sleepr]

I dunno... making an MMO takes a lot of resources. Somehow I doubt they'd make one so quickly. If they were to make another, I'm guessing it would be in 6 or so years. But hey, I could be wrong.

 

I know it takes a lot of resources, but I bet EA is willing to invest heavily in a new MMO again. Bioware job is to be smart and know where to spend that money and of course make sure they don't make the mistakes they did with SWTOR. That's the part I'm worried about... hopefully they learned what people liked and what people didn't liked about SWTOR.

 

Anyway, if a brand new MMO were to be released in 4 or 5 years then they would be working on it right now! We know they have some secret projects on the works @ Bioware Austin and we know the studio was built to make online games, so we just have to wait and see.

[OlBuzzard]

I know it takes a lot of resources, but I bet EA is willing to invest heavily in a new MMO again. Bioware job is to be smart and know where to spend that money and of course make sure they don't make the mistakes they did with SWTOR. That's the part I'm worried about... hopefully they learned what people liked and what people didn't liked about SWTOR.

 

Anyway, if a brand new MMO were to be released in 4 or 5 years then they would be working on it right now! We know they have some secret projects on the works @ Bioware Austin and we know the studio was built to make online games, so we just have to wait and see.

 

Good point.

IMHO there are several really great possibilities. One good thing to remember at this point: SWTOR has managed to survive and make money. Although we may not always agree with each other in different areas ... WE may not like everything that is done. BUT, the game is progressing.

Another game: oh yeah that is a very REAL possibility.

A new stand alone or another MAJOR expansion .... well ... only time will tell.

[hadoken]

I know it takes a lot of resources, but I bet EA is willing to invest heavily in a new MMO again.

 

I wouldn't take that bet.

[Gleneagle]

I wouldn't take that bet.

After Earth & Beyond I wouldn't have taken the bet they would pour out their purses on SWTOR but they did. It has fairly decent rep out on the net, better than LotRO's common rep anyway (though LotRO isn't doing that badly). It seems within the realm of possibility they would go for another effort I just don't buy they would throw away what they already put into this game. More likely what is called SWTOR 2 should extend the current game. I mean look what they did with Balmorra from the Emp side and from the Pub side. Largely the same environment but totally different story. That same design recycling could progress the story while minimizing new development. I don't think we know the backend quite well enough to speculate whether the current art assets could easily transition into a new engine, but it might also be that there is a new generation of Hero that looks like Cryengine that would make art portable.

[hadoken]

After Earth & Beyond I wouldn't have taken the bet they would pour out their purses on SWTOR but they did.

 

Yea and it didn't remotely turn out how they wanted it to. They were trying to topple World of Warcraft (which was a fool's gambit anyway).

 

Also note Warhammer Online was under their watch.

 

I think they've been burned enough from this genre to risk it again anytime soon.

Edited October 29, 2014 by hadoken

[rashadk]

You know OP, there used to be a great site called SuperShadow where someone would do similarly long-winded, poorly written fan fiction/pipe dream writing and call it confirmation of the future. Really sad that that source of entertainment seems to have gotten the ax.

[OlBuzzard]

Yea and it didn't remotely turn out how they wanted it to. They were trying to topple World of Warcraft (which was a fool's gambit anyway).

 

Also note Warhammer Online was under their watch.

 

I think they've been burned enough from this genre to risk it again anytime soon.

 

... perhaps ... perhaps not.

 

IMHO it depends upon the genre. Some are just not that good for a MMO. Sometimes the community that is on line warrants the continuation (like it not WoW is a good example of that).

 

In any case. I personally hope that there is a new "development" in progress ..... a major new development.

Edited October 29, 2014 by OlBuzzard

[Treeba]

SWTOR 2 would almost be worth the hassle if we could get a real engine and some better coding into the game.

[Technohic]

Quit pooping down my pipe dream! I like this game but also want to imagine one like it with Star Wars and action combat with a better engine with persistent siege and RvR PvP as well as instanced and the persistent world an MMO brings, even if it isn't likely.

 

I probably will at least be able to settle for part of it with Battlefront, I guess.

[Gleneagle]

I LOVE to think Bioware is this clever...but they simply aren't.

Oh sure they are. You are one the few who thinks otherwise that I've read. Bioware is superbly clever, it's just that they have this layer of overhead oppressing creativity, gambling, risk taking, and other brilliant but risky behaviors. Once it was only the imaginative Doctors, but no more.

 

The great hope, for me, is that something about ME3 gifted them a powerful lesson about imposing managerial parsimony on the growth of creative dynamics.

[hadoken]

Oh sure they are. You are one the few who thinks otherwise that I've read. Bioware is superbly clever, it's just that they have this layer of overhead oppressing creativity, gambling, risk taking, and other brilliant but risky behaviors. Once it was only the imaginative Doctors, but no more.

 

The great hope, for me, is that something about ME3 gifted them a powerful lesson about imposing managerial parsimony on the growth of creative dynamics.

 

It's nice that people still think that's the truth. But, much like another studio that EA bought, their failure has totally been on them. Remember the defense of the ending of ME3? It had nothing to do with EA wanting it a particular way (really, EA probably would have had them cave and change it) it was about their own "creative freedom"

[VanderII]

I don't think there'll be a SWTOR 2 !

[Vandicus]

The only things I'm seeing in here that has been confirmed is the level 60 cap and Togruta.

 

Level 60 cap pretty much anyone could've guessed at since before RoTHC released.

 

Togruta and Cathar were both top 3 competitors in race polls so the addition of Togruta doesn't exactly take incredible foresight or inside information.

 

 

Addition of more romances to existing companions just isn't likely to happen. Its in direct contradiction to what they've said about how they're going to handle SGRA and in direct contradiction to their attitude to the stories of existing companions are complete.

[OlBuzzard]

[/snip ... snip]

 

Addition of more romances to existing companions just isn't likely to happen. Its in direct contradiction to what they've said about how they're going to handle SGRA and in direct contradiction to their attitude to the stories of existing companions are complete.

 

This may be true to a degree for SWTOR as we know it now. BUT, if there was a major expansion pack sold: (insert new title such as SWTOR: Empire Divided (just for example). This could also be a new stand alone game ... In any case the could use the old story line as a platform to jump to another continuation in the same manner that other MMO's have successfully done in the past.

 

That could affect everything. There could easily provide the opportunity for new companions, stories and the means in which players interact with them.

IMHO it opens up more possibilities in a very positive manner. IMHO I believe that most would be supportive of that sort of thing.

[Gleneagle]

It's nice that people still think that's the truth. But, much like another studio that EA bought, their failure has totally been on them. Remember the defense of the ending of ME3? It had nothing to do with EA wanting it a particular way (really, EA probably would have had them cave and change it) it was about their own "creative freedom"

You must be in law, because reading between the lines isn't lawyery.

[hadoken]

You must be in law, because reading between the lines isn't lawyery.

 

Hey if it gives you comfort to blame the big bad EA, keep doing so. I'm just saying things are sometimes...exactly as they appear.

[LordArtemis]

Would love to see a SWTOR reboot one day. A new engine would be great IMO.

[KnightDLR]

...(insert new title such as SWTOR: Empire Divided (just for example)...

 

Highly doubtful that this would be in consideration for a title. (An) Empire Divided was the descriptive name in the title for Star Wars: Galaxies. Just throwing that out there.

[hadoken]

Highly doubtful that this would be in consideration for a title. (An) Empire Divided was the descriptive name in the title for Star Wars: Galaxies. Just throwing that out there.

 

heh there's always one...(where do you think he got the reference, and why do you think he said it's an example?)

[itsmymillertime]

so we have it confirmed the following things

 

1) its a revan expansion and the author knew.

2) Torguta race confirmed

3) 60 lvl cap confirmed

4) changes in the gameplay confirmed

5) the 2 planets are confirmed and it also says the story will move on, in a few others...

 

1. Revan is only mentioned as a link to the Emperor, never did it say Revan was an expansion.

2. Coincidence.

3. 5 level cap increase is common and kinda a given.

4. Cross faction is against SWTOR rules

5. where did it say anything about the 2 planets?

 

Your confirmations are based on assumptions and not facts that are actually posted in the spoiler. These are the facts of the spoiler that failed to happen as predicted:

 

1. Next expansion will get upgrade to canon. Revan expansion is here and no news on canon status plus it is still in the wrong era for Episode 7.

 

2. Next xpac will have a class story ending. Bioware is testing the new class story to see if it succeeds, if so more class missions in the future.

 

3. Next expansion will have a revamped engine and move to consoles. Well if SOR is coming to consoles, they better announce it soon.

 

4. Cross faction queues. Bioware has stated many times that cross faction is against SW universe. It is always Empire against Republic.

 

I am going to stop there as I am proven that the prophecy of this "leak" is wrong with what the SOR expansion supposed to be.

Edited October 29, 2014 by itsmymillertime

[Zoom_VI]

Ok since people are still wallowing in their delusions.

EA and Disney have a brilliant plan for SWTOR. It will be upgraded to canon in the next expansion and will have some subtle tie-ins with Star Wars 7. (Specifically, a certain planet will be used and lord Vitiate will be an off-screen influence on the main villain of 7). The first step, although it won’t be obvious how, to SWTOR’s ending has begun in Forged Alliances.

First off Disney has no interest in anything predating their takeover. Disney does not like interacting with anything they do not outright own. Plus it is unlikely Disney would want to saddle themselves with keeping conformity to the Old Republic world particularly given they already declared it non-canon.

 

The storyline for SWTOR is going to end in about 3.5 years, and the sequel is already in development. These next 3 years are going to see an increase in funding as the game is brought back in line with initial expectations. There is a fun plan to let SWTOR run for as long as players want it to, with dynamic and scaling end-game content, but focus will shift to SWTOR 2. It will run on the Cryengine 3 Frostbite 3 (sorry I was excited and they look similar to me), so your first preview of how the game might look/run will be Dragon Age 3 later this year.

Massive logic fail here. If a company is planning on killing a title in order to bring a sequel, they would not increase funding for the old title as the old title won't be around long enough for them to get a return on their investment.

 

Also Frostbite is not designed for MMOs, it would have serious issues dealing with the servers, there is a reason MMOs don't have photorealistic graphics and good collision physics.

 

The personal stories of SWTOR will continue in the next major Xpac, and they will each have an “ending”. YOUR character from SWTOR will appear in the as-yet-unnamed SWTOR 2 in various forms. Force Ghosts, holocrons, etc. As of right now, only one class appears to be able to survive until SWTOR 2 (Sith Inquisitor), but that might change. These will use your appearance settings and dialogue based on the actions you chose in the game. I will detail what I could gather about the plot later on in this post.

This is just no.

The sheer amount of infrastructure and server load that would be necessary to port over characters appearance from one game to the next would be ridiculous, particularly since the hypothetical new game is supposedly getting a new engine.

Also even if they could pull that off, it would a be a terrible design decision because it means a large portion of the story content gated so that only players who played the old version get the full experience. This would alienate players new to the franchise and places a huge gamble that the players of the old game would be willing to come back.

 

There will be a newgame+ option added to SWTOR, some big bonuses for players who use it, and some major tweaks to the leveling experience and early planets. For example, coroscant lets you turn in most quests via holocalls rather than walking back. Newgame+ will be important as some characters that were not previously able to will become companions if certain story options are taken, and same gender romance will be added. It appears LucasArts was the one behind not allowing them in the first place. There will be some hefty rewards and updates to the original game that make going through newgame+ for that new companion romance feel less painful if you don’t want to. For example, a “rocket boots” type move for each class that is specific to each class (SI get to ride the lightning), and a class specific mount granted at level 15, that upgrades to a better appearance at level 30.

Because implementing a NGE is totally a good idea, particularly when said game is slated for termination within a couple years.

 

The engine will be heavily revamped, and with the expansion, the game will be brought to consoles as a buy-to-play title with a cartel market. The goal will be to revamp all existing game systems so that everything fits nicely into place as one coherent whole game.

Sigh, no. MMOs just don't work well at all with consoles.

 

 

 

-Most level 60 content will involve cross-faction queues, when story appropriate.

This flies in the face of all the dev quotes citing the difficulty of cross-server.

 

 

-New action mode that allows mouselook and changes some of your move to macros to reduce your number of keybinds.

What? Why? The devs already said they are against macros and we do not have enough abilities to justify such a change.

 

-Can use appearance changer on most companions, including species change.

Ok, this could happen, but there is nothing to be gained out of it.

 

 

 

-Lord Vitiate has regained his power for the most part. His 300 year link to Revan allowed him to subsume Revan at the end of Foundry. (The two are now one, mostly integrated personality, although both sides will have chances to flash to the forefront). He has also been able to absorb power from the “deaths” of many powerful force users. (Spoilers: Darth Thanaton, for example, and Lord Baras if you’re on a Sith Warrior who didn’t spare him, same thing for Syo Bakarn and many other characters, Jadus, etc. You kill a lot of powerful Sith, and apparently the Emperor had their essences on tap. Choosing to spare various Sith will make Vitiate a bit weaker for your account).

 

-Vitiate has assembled a host of what are basically all the enemies that have been fought in SWTOR—Directive 7, some dread stuff, some cosmic horrors. Not all of them realize they are directly controlled by him, instead acting as puppets, but they serve his purposes.

I really hope that the storywriters are not this cliché.

 

-NEW CLASS STORIES: Each of the 8 characters will take on a major role in opposing Vitiate’s new attempt to absorb all life in the galaxy and become a God. Interesting, many characters and companions will appear in each other’s stories, and will make the dialogue choices that your character would based on LS/DS alignment. Some combinations will even have flirt options and such, which is fun, and some dialogue options will change based on how your characters are placed on the family tree (for example, rude options chosen if they are a rival, some indication of family/alliances/relationships between others. No, you wont be able to flirt with family, even if this is star wars).

I cannot even being to imagine what the server load would be like if the game had to pull multiple of your toons at once for cutscenes. Not to mention the development costs for writing and setting up all the various conversation possibilities that level of customization would require.

 

Story spoilers:

too lazy to go into these. However this ark violates one of the main rules of a RPG, which is you do not directly include previous PC characters particularly ones that do not have a set lore name. Granting Bioware is already stretching this with Revan.

 

 

 

1) can frostbite run an mmo?

2) make wise choices in the engine and modify it exclusively for swtor 2... so it can run smooth and be feature proof.

3) dont make small worlds, make it more open, to avoid the constant loading screens and instanse feeling.

4) make a beautiful character creator

5) at release date, include some of the current swtor events and our strongholds (at least for those planets who will be in swtor 1 and 2... make it a loyal swtor 1 sub gift...as a promotion). Revamp the events a bit and keep them, so will allready have some extra content...

6) I would love to keep my characters in swtor 2, but if the classes will be eliminated and give us other different classes, you could make some story content in swtor 1, to upgrade the current status of our current characters and the transition would be easier. (maybe the lvls will be reset, but it will be our characters .

As for the character creation and modification, it could be something like mass effect-mass effect 2 after a huge destruction via technology we recreate our appearance... lol (this could also be another promotion for the loyal subs from swtor 1). Or at least to keep 2-4 of them...Not all 22 or 30.....

1. no frostbite certainly could not run a MMO.

2 - 4 Yeah pretty much every game developer wishes they could do that. Except you cannot have a perfect everything with no compromises.

5-6. It bears reinstating that making a new game that has direct tie ins to a previous game, but only for people who played the old game, is a terrible design decision has it alienates players who might be new to the franchise.

 

Finally how the hell did this guy even learn any of this? The amount of detail he goes into would essentially require him having a permanent wiretap on Bioware Austin.

Edited October 29, 2014 by Zoom_VI

[TUXs]

Oh sure they are. You are one the few who thinks otherwise that I've read. Bioware is superbly clever, it's just that they have this layer of overhead oppressing creativity, gambling, risk taking, and other brilliant but risky behaviors. Once it was only the imaginative Doctors, but no more.

 

The great hope, for me, is that something about ME3 gifted them a powerful lesson about imposing managerial parsimony on the growth of creative dynamics.

I didn't say they weren't creative, they simply seem extremely out of touch with the players. Watch Snave's stream with Musco from last week if you want clarification...or look at GSF vs. what players asked for. This has nothing to do with their ability to be creative.