7 May 2013 | |
iTZKooPA
This is certainly a trend that gamers would like to get used to. BioWare Entertainment announced the dates for not one, but two upcoming patches for Star Wars: The Old Republic. Sure, the patches are to be enormous events, but advance notice of a secondary version number should be acceptable by all. Community Manager Eric Musco has dated Game Update v2.1 for a concrete May 14. Game Update v2.2 is a bit more tentative, with a June 11 date.
The community has been a bit antsy with Game Update v2.1 due to the perception that it’s “wasting a slot” in the content cycle. The update is to focus on customization aspects, not most people’s idea of core content. In fact, this bad boy is labeled as an “all Cartel Market” update. Despite this, the community’s expectation of an eight week cycle for new content should hold true. The tentative June 11 date for GU v2.2 puts that content-heavy release just over eight weeks since the release of Rise of the Hutt Cartel.
Unfortunately, Musco still can’t detail exactly what is scheduled for GU v2.2. Players will have to just wait a little longer.
18 January 2013 | |
Pherephassa
Well this has certainly been a headliner week. From gay planets to presidential violence studies, there’s been a lot of video games in the news the past few days. It’s rather depressing how sensationalized the media has become, that facts and information take a seat far, far behind glitz and outrage mongering. It’s weeks like this that make me even happier to be here at LoreHound, the LoreHound crew is just a fantastic bunch. I may not always agree with what everyone has to say, but the stuff everyone writes here is never uninteresting, never so blown up into such fanfare that the actual information is lost or distorted, there’s never any pressure to slant articles and opinions, and, well, I just can’t say enough how great everyone here is.
I started writing for Mike at MMOcrunch before it merged with LoreHound, and have always found him great to work with. iTKooPA’s enthusiasm and passion for gaming is particularly inspiring. Thanks guys, for making this so fun! It’s a little late for New Year hopes, but I was too busy dealing with a move and being sick to celebrate the new year when it was actually here. So here’s to a great new year! May there be lots of fun and lots of gaming!
And now I’ll actually give the news. Click the little button below for this week’s happenings.
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1 October 2012 | |
iTZKooPA
Encyclopedia Britannica may have ended its print run, but the MMORPG community is ripe with the desire for physical distribution of in-game knowledge. Never being one to miss a cross-marketing opportunity – no matter how stupid it may be – LucasArts and DK Adult are preparing to unleash a “definitive guide to the epic conflict” that is Star Wars: The Old Republic.
The 352-page hardcover encyclopedia covers everything a gamer, subscription or free-to-play, could need to know. From historical events, classes, important NPCs, races, planets, weaponry and more. The tome wasn’t farmed out either. Several members of the MMORPG’s writing team are responsible for producing the galactic compilation.
Dedicated Lore Hounds and roleplayers should not pass up on pre-ordering Star Wars: The Old Republic: Encyclopedia. The book will be available October 15, 2012, and is likely to become a collector’s item. One that will only set you back $26.40. If you still need convincing, check out the trailer after the jump.
Yes, the book has a freaking trailer. Continue Reading
3 August 2012 | |
Pherephassa
I must apologize to anyone who likes to read these, life seems to be conspiring to prevent me from writing on Fridays. I thought it’d be the easiest day to write, but no! Anything than can possibly go wrong – goes wrong on Fridays. Isn’t that supposed to be limited to Friday the 13th? but I’m here today with a ton of news and information for anyone who missed the week’s happenings.
It’s been a decently busy week here at LoreHound, preparations for Gamescon have begun. So there will be videos to watch in a few weeks, once iTZKooPA has gone and returned, and everything is compiled for viewing. I’m excited, I wish I could go, too! Grab some swag, chat with devs, pop advil like candy to combat the noise … actually the gel coated variety does taste like candy. I used to go to 3 or 4 a year when I lived in NYC, but haven’t since I moved to an area that is dead on the convention front. I just love conventions! Failing being able to go myself, I love watching the interviews. We’ve got some goodies this week, giveaways, rumors, launch date confirmations and the new date for Planetside 2‘s beta. And don’t forget The Secret World is open for anyone to play this weekend! Drop on in and give it a whirl!
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24 July 2012 | |
Mike
As posted on GamerTechTV, an anonymous Bioware Austin employee has lashed out against Star Wars fans blaming them for the failure of Star Wars: The Old Republic. The employee also confirms that SWTOR is being converted to free-to-play and confirms that Star Wars Galaxies was shut-down for no other reason then to remove it as a competitor for SWTOR. The BioWare employee states:
EA blames us and to some extent they’re right to. but it was fan feedback from the day we opened the forums that encouraged us to design it for the fans the way it is and that included making it more like Kotor then an MMO like Wow. Also from what I have heard in the halls, Starwars Galaxies was shut down due to the fact are talks with LA, EA suits ecouraged the new guy at LA to increase the licensing fee at renewal time. it was a move to remove any direct competiton to TOR.
I don’t want anyone to be upset by this. but many of these changes had been in the “planning stages” for many months since the sharp drop in subscribers. many parts of the game will cost money to access. for example you can unlock the new “cathar” race in your legacy. but buying the unlock, it will cost 10$ US
As far as I’m concerned fans cannot be blamed for the failure of SWTOR, only Bioware and EA. If you don’t have a vision for what your game is supposed to be, maybe you shouldn’t be spending hundreds of millions of dollars making it. If you do decide to listen to fans, pick one person, hire them, and make them the project leader for that game. Maybe they have a real vision for what the game should be.
Fan feedback is important, but creating a game shouldn’t be based on it. The developer needs to be the visionary behind the game and create what they believe would be a fun game. I can tell you right now, no great game has ever been created based on fan feedback because most fans, despite what they say, don’t even know what they like.
BioWare, feel free to email me if you need someone to create your next MMO game because you guys have no clue.
17 July 2012 | |
Heartbourne
Star Wars: The Old Republic had a strong launch, reaching over a million and half subscribers initially, but has since lost over 400,00 subscribers after hitting its 1.7 million peak. The game was heavily anticipated, leaving many to wonder why players began to leave the game. The most recent numbers still put it as the number 3 MMO by paying subscribers, behind Aion at 2.4 million and World of Warcraft at 10.2 million.
Via MMO-Data.net. SWTOR is in purple.
Vogel, the executuve producer who oversaw nearly all aspects of the game’s development, is confirmed to be leaving among layoffs from Bioware Austin. Bioware’s layoffs as they relate to SWTOR are to restructure the team to provide development and service going forward. They are rumored to be looking at free-to-play, an increasingly popular model for monetizing MMOs.
Vogel was instrumental in building some of the biggest and most important MMOs in history, including Ultima Online, Meridan 59, and Star Wars: Galaxies. We wish him the best and hope to see him leading more successful MMO products in the future.
13 July 2012 | |
Pherephassa
It’s been a busy week! The Secret World continues to keep me entertained, as can no doubt be seen in all the blurbs I put up about it. Next week I’ll be putting up the second and final section of my review, as well as starting a weekly TSW-related article. I’ve flopped around on it so much, but I think I’ve finally decided what I’ll be focusing on! Huzzah! So stay tuned for that, if you like reading what I have to say or The Secret World. Or both. I’m good if you like both of these things. I may even do two, if there’s enough interest.
This week brought more SMITE divine lore, tons of interesting things for The Secret World, musings on stocks and CEOs, as well as a contest, a giveaway, and some interesting opinions! Click the button below to check it all out!
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6 July 2012 | |
iTZKooPA
Squeal!
BioWare is now rewarding players for transferring characters to qualified servers for free. Clearly a marketing ploy to help with the balance issue, but hey, as long as the marketing is rewarding paying subscribers who are we to be cynical? Oh, right.
Transferred characters are being rewarded with my Achilles heel; an incredibly cute in-game pet, the Gannifari. Oh, and I guess those people that want stuff that actually matter will enjoy the 25 Black Hole Commendations to purchase high-level gear, or something. Whatever, look at the Gannifari. How can you resist those eyes?!
Players can see if they qualify at the transfer page. Aside from selecting an appropriate server, accounts must be active by July 30 and not banned, obviously. Rewards will be mailed out at the close of August 7.
