Like a drug dealer keeping an addict interested in his or her wares, the BioWare folks sure know how to keep impatient Star Wars fans on a drip feed of information relating to its highly-anticipated MMO, Star Wars: The Old Republic. The latest is today’s announcement of Ord Mantell as a planet which players will be able to visit in-game. For the record (and TOR trainspotters), this is the second planetary announcement; the first being Hutta (more commonly known as Nal Hutta later in the Star Wars timeline), back in February.
Unsurprisingly (this is the double whammy of Star Wars fans and MMO devotee’s we’re talking about), the announcement has led to fans speculating on where the planet might fit into the overall game, and some other thoughts. Here’s a taster:
Farlark: Looks like a good Smuggler and Bounty Hunter class starter world. Im looking forward to exploring it. Keep the news coming BIOWARE!!!:)
Vitchman: There is still one thing that has me curious…after seeing these screens, I’m wondering if the planets will be open exploration or instanced paths…like Kotor. You know? Like where you can’t run off a edge or wonder off the path…if not I hope they scale these planets really large. Otherwise it’ll feel like I’ve explored the place in 20 minutes, like Kotor, ya know?
TheLightFang: Sounds like a good planet to start off on for bounty hunters, smugglers, and other black market types if they are going to exist.
Syphon: Fantastic sounds like a planet ripe with strife and conflict. Just the kind of place every one could have something to do in. Not much info other what you guys have put out on this planet. I think we all want to see more new planets.
Darth_Agonas: Nice! Not only that we got a new planet for this update, but that it is one that has not been done a million time in SW games. Kudos BW!
I’m in total agreement with that last comment. I’m pretty stoked that we’re getting a planet that hasn’t been done a million times in Star Wars games before. Yet, at the same time, it’s not a planet solely made up for this game; Ord Mantell appears in supplemenary Star Wars material, such as maps of the Star Wars universe, for as long as I can remember. Indeed, after a little research, I believe it can be traced back to The Bounty Hunter of Ord Mantell – a comic strip written by Archie Goodwin and illustrated by Al Williamson, originally published in February 1981. So there.
Just how many planets, classes, etc, will appear in Star Wars: The Old Republic at launch is still open to debate. So far, however, what BioWare has announced has all sounded pretty good. I’m giving the announcement of Ord Mantell a thumbs up.