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    Star Wars: The Old Republic

    Game » consists of 5 releases. Released Dec 20, 2011

    Star Wars: The Old Republic is a massively-multiplayer role-playing game set 300 years after the events of BioWare's Knights of the Old Republic series, but still approximately 3,600 years before the events of the films.

    Short summary describing this game.

    Star Wars: The Old Republic last edited by Marino on 06/27/23 01:09PM View full history

    Overview

    Star Wars: The Old Republic is an MMORPG from famed developer BioWare based in large part on their highly acclaimed Knights of the Old Republic franchise. The Old Republic takes place approximately three hundred years after the events of the first two Knights of the Old Republic games. The Old Republic aims to maintain the core gameplay and principles of the previous Knights of the Old Republic games in a new large online environment.

    Players choose to join either the Sith Empire or the Galactic Republic at the beginning of the game. The player can make choices throughout the game will influence and determine their alignment towards good or evil, otherwise known as the light and dark sides of the force. BioWare has mentioned that they hope The Old Republic will be structured in a more story driven fashion than most MMORPGs, allowing players to carve "their own epic stories" within the galactic turmoil of the game's setting. The Old Republic will feature many common MMO aspects such as crafting, guilds, and PVP.

    The game also features a Mass Effect-style dialog wheel, which lets players make dialog choices. The game features full voice acting including the player character, companions and other NPCs (Non-player characters). With notable voice actors such as Lance Henriksen who will voice the Jedi "Master Gnost-Dural", BioWare claims the amount of voice work is 10 times the size of KOTOR or 40 novels' worth of content.

    The art direction of The Old Republic is a blend of realistic and more animated styles, without leaning to the extreme in either direction. The reasoning behind this choice is to give the game a unique appearance without making the system requirements too extreme, allowing it to run on as many computer systems as possible.

    Star Wars: The Old Republic was officially announced in a live press conference held at LucasArts headquarters in San Francisco, California, on October 21st 2008. The game was released on the December 20, 2011 in North America and Europe, for PC only. It is scheduled for a March 1st 2012 release in Australia.

    Setting

    Star Wars: The Old Republic takes place three hundred years after the first two Knights of the Old Republic games with a new setting and story while still maintaining some similarities with the previous games in the series. At the end of the first KOTOR game Revan disappeared to try and locate the hidden Sith threat he felt in the Force from beyond the Outer Rim; he never returned, instead a new and stronger Sith Empire emerged led by an unknown Emperor.

    For centuries the Sith Empire plotted patiently in an unknown sector of space where they gathered their forces to launch an attack against the Galactic Republic, specifically the Jedi Order. With a surprise assault the Sith's armada of ships and soldiers launched a devastating attack against the Republic and captured many planets within the Outer Rim. In particular, the water world of Manaan, featured in previous KOTOR games, was attacked though it was considered neutral toward the Republic. Its inhabitants, the Selkath, were forced to flee from their cities on the waters surface and continue to live in its dark depths.

    As the war raged on, the Sith sacked and destroyed many planets as they made their way toward the capital of the Galactic Republic, Coruscant; the Sith then launched an attack on the capital. With enemy forces standing at their front door the Republic Senate was forced to sign the "Treaty of Coruscant," the details of which are scarce. It is known that the treaty required the Republic to withdraw its support in all forms from a number of planets that were strong and loyal supporters of the Republic. Now it appears that both factions have come to an uneasy truce and the galaxy is once again in turmoil as fear and uncertainty have taken grip of the people. The motivations of the Sith Emperor himself are unknown, much like his identity, but while he continues to carry out his mysterious plans the crippled Republic is struggling to rebuild and repair the damage from the devastating Sith attacks.

    Relying less on the Jedi for military support, the Republic has focused on building up its own force of highly trained and skilled soldiers to continue its fight against the Sith and their Empire. Taking over the major roles on the battlefield, this new army of Republic Soldiers has become the backbone of the Republic's military. The Jedi have abandoned their destroyed temple on Coruscant for the recently rediscovered planet of Tython where the Jedi Order was founded, but they remain dedicated to protecting the people and morals of the Republic from the Sith Empire.

    However, the uneasy truce that was signed between the two great factions seems to be close to a breaking point, as minor skirmishes between the Sith Empire and the Galactic Republic are occurring more regularly. It seems that once again the galaxy will be plunged into full scale war. Now it is up to the player to choose their destiny and decide which path they will follow to restore peace and balance amidst the turmoil.

    Story and Character Development

    The stories in The Old Republic are based around the class a player chooses. Each class has its own unique story line with a vast array of choices that will give each player a personalized experience. BioWare hopes to set the system up in a way that allows a player to go through the game as a Jedi, then start a new game as a Sith and never experience the same cut scenes or story arc. The plot is epic tale of either saving or destroying the galaxy and each quest is designed to have a feeling of grand scale, no matter how far you have progressed in the game. The game's developers often push the idea that The Old Republic has enough story lines in it to qualify as Knights of the Old Republic 3, 4, 5, 6, and so on.

    Players acquire multiple companion characters over the course of their career. Despite being able to have more than one companion you may only travel with one at a time. These characters grow and develop based on the choices you make, and you may even have the opportunity to form a romantic relationship with your companions. Companions can have either positive or negative reactions to your choices and will offer their own specific companion quests you can then complete to strengthen your bond with them but if you anger them enough there are as yet unconfirmed repercussions. In contrast, certain companions are romance-able if you gain

    At the start of the game you choose between two factions, the Sith Empire or Galactic Republic. However this doesn't necessarily mean you have chosen a good or evil path to follow. The game will offer various choices and decisions for the player to make throughout the game which will ultimately determine their character's position on the light or dark side of the force it has been confirmed it will also be possible to walk a "neutral" path for those so inclined. These choices will have an impact not only on your personal story and companion feelings but also on certain character abilities, to what degree and how has not yet been announced.

    BioWare has confirmed that players will get to find out what happened to Revan after the ending of the original game. HK-47 also makes an appearance.

    Classes

    There are four classes on either faction. Each class directly correlates with a class on the opposite faction, with only minor differences between them mechanically (A Smuggler, for example, uses blaster pistols, while an Imperial Agent uses blaster rifles). Each class has a unique class quest chain that will last the length of the leveling experience. Each class has five exclusive companions. At around level ten, players are able to pick an "Advanced class" which can only be chosen once, and will radically effect how you play. Advanced classes are then further customizable depending on which of three skill trees you pick (though these can be changed later on, for a fee). One skill tree is shared between advanced classes.

    Republic

    Trooper

    Concept of the Trooper class
    Concept of the Trooper class

    As the name suggests this class is an extremely tough class, who wears the heaviest armors available. In order to gain the advantage against his opponent he utilizes a highly powerful grenade fired from his rifle, sticky grenades and can also get in close to smack the opponent with the butt of his rifle. The trooper uses "Ammo," which he uses to activate ability. The more ammo a Trooper has, the faster it will regenerate.

    Advanced Classes

    • Commando (Healer/Ranged Damage) - Commandos use assault cannons to devastate the enemy. They can choose between the skill trees Gunnery, maxing the cannon's destructive power, Combat Medic, providing first aid to allies, and Assault Specialist, focusing on demolitions.
    • Vanguard (Tank/Melee Damage) - Vanguards are the first line of defense in the Republic's military. The can choose between the skill trees Tactics, dealing with close range combatants, Shield Specialist, absorbing enemy firepower, and Assault Specialist, focusing on demolitions.

    Jedi Knight

    Concept of the Jedi Knight class
    Concept of the Jedi Knight class

    Historically the Jedi Knights of the Jedi order were the "grunts" of the order usually being the ones sent out to accomplish tasks the order deemed needing done. The Jedi Knight focuses primarily on lightsabers, and lightsaber techniques. They generate "Focus" by using basic attacks and abilities, which can be consumed to activate other abilities.

    Advanced Classes

    • Guardian (Tank/Melee Damage) - The Jedi Guardians are defenders of the weak. They can choose between the skill trees Vigilance, focusing on slow yet hard-hitting strikes, Defense, redirecting attacks to the Guardian, and Focus, increasing the potency of the lightsaber, and performing telekinetic feats.
    • Sentinel (Melee Damage) - The sentinel dual wields lightsabers to hit hard and fast. They can choose between the skill trees Watchman, using the lightsaber to debilitate foes, Combat, performing very fast strikes, and Focus, increasing the potency of the lightsaber, and performing telekinetic feats.

    Smuggler

    Concept of the Smuggler class
    Concept of the Smuggler class

    The Smuggler is a lightly armored class that utilizes a cover system which when used, allows the smuggler to utilize different set of abilities. The Smuggler also has tools such as flash bang grenades and other various underhanded tactics to defeat more heavily armored or powerful enemies. The Smuggler uses "Energy," a resource which regenerates more quickly the more you have.

    Advanced Classes

    • Gunslinger (Ranged Damage) - Gunslingers dual wield pistols, being most effective at range. They can choose between the skill trees of Saboteur, using explosives and advanced tech, Sharpshooter, focusing on expertise with pistols, and Dirty Fighting, disabling foes in combat.
    • Scoundrel (Healer/Melee Damage) - Scoundrels always shoot first, never having time for a fair fight. They can choose between the skill trees Sawbones, patching up allies, Sapper, focusing on stealth and scattergun techniques, and Dirty Fighting, disabling foes in combat.

    Jedi Consular

    Jedi Consular concept
    Jedi Consular concept
    • Starting planet: Tython
    • Races: Human, Twi'lek, Zabrak, Miraluka and Mirialan
    • Starship: Defender
    • Voiced by: Nolan North (Male), Athena Karkanis (Female)

    After a Jedi has become a Knight they are allowed to study and gain the title of Consular. Dedicated towards peace and harmony through diplomacy. They spend a great deal of time studying the ways of the Force and mainly use it in combat rather than a lightsaber which they only draw as a last resort. As they study the Force they must stay aware of the temptations of taking shortcuts that might lead them to the dark side and must remember the tormented Jedi that have passed down that same road. Unlike the Knight, the Consular focuses primarily on using the force in combat. They use "Force" a rapidly regenerating resource.

    Advanced Classes

    • Shadow (Tank/Melee Damage) - Jedi Shadows use two-sided lightsabers, are able to stealth, and have defensive capabilities. They can choose from the skill trees Infiltration, increasing their stealth, and close range combat capabilities, Kinetic Combat, increasing their defensive capabilities, and Balance, using the force to disable foes in combat.
    • Sage (Healer/Ranged Damage) - Jedi Sages are the most skilled with the force, able to support their allies, or use the force in combat. They can choose from the skill trees Seer, increasing their healing effectiveness, Telekinetics, tearing their enemies apart, or Balance, using the force to disable foes in combat.

    Empire

    Imperial Agent

    Imperial Agent concept
    Imperial Agent concept
    • Starting planet: Nal Hutta
    • Races: Chiss, Human, Cyborg, Rattataki, Zabrak
    • Starship: X-70B Phantom-Class Prototype
    • Voiced by: Bertie Carvel (Male), Jo Wyatt (Female)

    The empire has control over many star systems and to keep that control it some times takes the efforts of secret individuals who are tasked with finding rogue Moffs, Republic officials and rebels sympathetic to the Republic. When these people need to be found and dealt with the Imperial agent is called in to do what they do best use seduction, assassination and infiltration abilities to root out the hidden enemies of the Empire and see to their end.

    Advanced Classes

    • Operative (Healer/Melee Damage) - Operatives uses high tech to heal allies, and conceal himself on the battlefield. They can choose from the skill trees Concealment, using stealth and close range attacks, Medic, keeping his allies alive, and Lethality, using toxins to debilitate enemies.
    • Sniper (Ranged Damage) - Snipers are among the best sharpshooters in the galaxy. They can choose from the skill trees Marksmanship, striking down targets from a range, Engineering, sending probes to attack enemies, and Lethality, using toxins to debilitate enemies.

    Sith Warrior

    Sith Warrior concept
    Sith Warrior concept
    • Starting planet: Korriban
    • Races: Human, Cyborg, Zabrak and Sith Pureblood
    • Starship: Fury
    • Voiced by: Mark Bazeley (Male), Natasha Little (Female)

    Sith Warriors are the most powerful lightsaber users in the Empire. The class is designed to be a close quarters combat warrior who charges into his enemies with a ferocious leap utilizing his lightsaber and various force powers in combat. The ability to use these attacks is based on earning rage as you fight enemies, allowing you to use various attacks such as force grip and the ability to impale your opponent with your lightsaber.

    Advanced Classes

    • Juggernaut (Tank/Melee Damage) - Juggernauts are unstoppable, heavily armored masters of lightsaber technique. They can choose from the skill trees Vengeance, hitting enemies with brutally hard strikes, Immortal, using the force to become nearly unstoppable, and Rage, allowing greater control of the force.
    • Marauder (Melee Damage) - Marauders dual wield sabers to hit swiftly. They can choose from the skill trees Annihilation, destroying enemies from within, Carnage, to hit quickly, and Rage, allowing greater control of the force.

    Bounty Hunter

    Bounty Hunter concept
    Bounty Hunter concept
    • Starting planet: Nal Hutta
    • Races: Human,Cyborg, Chiss, Zabrak and Rattataki
    • Starship: D5-Mantis
    • Voiced by: Tom Spackman (Male), Grey DeLisle (Female)

    The Bounty Hunter is an expert in tracking down his enemies then eliminating them with a wide set of tools such as a flame-thrower, jet pack and stun darts. For protection a Bounty Hunter wears an extremely tough set of armor to protect them from who ever is foolish enough to try and shoot back. Game play videos suggest that this class is designed as a damage dealing class with a focus on stunning enemies with the various tools at his disposal.

    Advanced Classes

    • Powertech (Tank/Melee Damage) - Powertechs use advanced gadgets at melee range to destroy enemies. They can choose from the skill trees Shield Tech, boosting his shields and taking tons of damage, Advanced Prototype, focusing on melee range abilities, and Pyrotech, burning enemies with flamethrowers and missiles.
    • Mercenary (Healer/Ranged Damage) - Mercenaries dual wield pistols, shooting enemies down. They can choose from the skill trees Arsenal, using advanced rockets, Bodyguard, keeping allies up, and Pyrotech, burning enemies with flamethrowers and missiles.

    Sith Inquisitor

    Concept of a Sith Inquisitor
    Concept of a Sith Inquisitor
    • Starting planet: Korriban
    • Races: Human, Rattataki, Twi'lek, Zabrak and Sith Pureblood
    • Starship: Fury
    • Voiced by: Euan Morton (Male), Xanthe Elbrick (Female)

    A heavy Force using class that was inspired by Emperor Palpatine and aspects of Darth Maul. They seek power and authority over all others and will even experiment in forbidden powers to achieve their goals. They are known to focus their energy on dark side philosophy rather than battle. While they wield a lightsaber, Inquisitors are more likely to use Force Lightning to take down foes.

    Advanced Classes

    • Sorcerer (Healer/Ranged Damage) - Sorcerers are masters of the force. They can choose from the skill trees Lightning, annihilating anyone who dares stand in their way, Corruption, using dark powers to heal allies in battle, and Madness, using the force to corrupt enemies.
    • Assassin (Tank/Melee Damage) - Assassins are masters of stealth and close range combat. They can choose from the skill trees Deception, enhancing stealth abilities, Darkness, becoming more defensive fighters, and Madness, using the force to corrupt enemies.

    Planets

    Tatooine

    Tatooine
    Tatooine

    Tatooine is a desert planet that has almost no life on it and no relevance to the galaxy as a whole, until recently. Years ago the massive corporation of Czerka decided that the planet may be rich in minerals and decided to set up a massive mining operation on the planet in hope of strip mining it clean of anything it was worth. However, they soon came to realize that there was nothing to find by mining, but that the planet did make a great place to test and develop biological and advanced weapons in secret.

    However, due to some unknown reason, Czerka corp abandoned its weapon development facilities out of the blue and simple left them hidden in the sands of the planet to be consumed by the desert. Seeing it as an opportunity to find some powerful technology left behind, the Sith Empire has decided to take control of a spaceport that a band of Jawas had restored in hopes of creating a hub for trading with travelers, and are now using it as a launching point to search the planet for these hidden research bases.

    Coruscant

    Coruscant
    Coruscant

    In the fiction of Star Wars, Coruscant is the center of the galaxy and is host to thousands of alien species, as well as being the capital world of the Republic. During the time of this game, Coruscant has been nearly destroyed by the invading Sith Empire. It is yet unknown how big of a part this world will play in the game, but being host to many different levels of poverty and crime on one planet makes it a perfect fit for many interesting adventures and stories. From the highest ranking government official to the lowest criminal scum in the galaxy and every thing in between Coruscant has it all.

    Balmorra

    Balmorra
    Balmorra

    Soon after the planet was colonized, Balmorra joined with the Republic and found itself attracting a wide rage of major corporations, which lead to it being known as a leading planet for all things droid and weapon design and manufacture. This, of course, drew the Imperials to the planet to gain control over it and all the resources its control offered. It wasn't long before the Imperials ran the Republic forces off the planet, leaving it in their control; or so they believed. With mounting pressure on the Republic's war efforts elsewhere, they where forced to abandon the planet to the Imperials with only enough manpower for a small group to help with a growing resistance on the planet.

    However, with recent turn of events in the current war being fought, the Republic have since taken interest in the planet again and have sent more troopers in an effort to retake the planet. However, with much of the native populace feeling negative toward the Republic for what they perceived as betrayal for leaving them before, the Republic have not been meet with as much cooperation as they had hoped. This has lead to the planet becoming another one of many war torn worlds that have been turned into a battleground with a constant flux over who has control, despite both sides continuous efforts to regain total ownership of the planet and its resources.

    Tython

    Tython
    Tython

    This planet is the location that the force was first discovered and harnessed by a humanoid species. As the birth place of the Jedi, it is believed to hold many long forgotten secrets of the force. It is a lush forest-like world that will be host to many an important events in the near future, as well as being the starting location for new players in the game.

    Korriban

    Korriban
    Korriban

    Korriban was the home world of the original Sith species. However, after the Hundred Year Darkness, the fleeing Jedi that would eventually make up the future Sith empire landed on this planet. Over the years they used their amazing talents with the force to mesmerize the Sith species and they soon became worshiped as gods by the Sith people. After many years of rule over the Sith people, the fallen Jedi began to interbreed with the Sith species and eventually the two became one single being that formed the Sith Empire. In years to come, the Sith created giant tombs to honor and encase their most powerful leaders. When they died, their powerful teachings in the form of Holocrons -- as well as artifacts of great power in the dark side of the force -- where in cased in each Sith Lords tomb. In years to come, the tombs would be pillaged and all of the most powerful of the artifacts would be stolen and lost to time by desperate scavengers looking to make a fortune. It is believed that this planet will be the starting location for the Sith Warrior class in the game as seen in the most recent videos released by BioWare.

    Hutta

    Hutta
    Hutta

    Hutta means Glorious Jewel in Huttese the language of the Hutt species. It is home to some of the galaxy's most powerful crime lords, as well as what many consider to be the most vile greedy and disgusting species in the galaxy. Originally the planet was inhabitable by the Evocii people, but they were overrun by the Hutt species, and had their planet strip mined by the Hutt people for resources to feed their insatiable greed. It has left the planet a putrid toxic wasteland filled with stagnate waters, toxic seas, and an atmosphere polluted by factories.

    Ord Mantell

    Ord Mantell
    Ord Mantell

    Ord Mantell was a planet that was founded by a group of Corellian colonists and was converted into a military base for the Republic. However a corrupt Republic admiral sold the republic fleet that was guarding the planet and it was soon over run with criminal organizations. It soon because a planet of lawlessness and was over run by slicers, bounty hunters, smugglers murders and drug dealers. Despite this the planets government wanted to stay loyal to the republic and eventual rejoined them. This lead to various factions on the planet rebelling against the government wanting independence form the Republic which caused a civil war to break out.

    Alderaan

    Alderaan
    Alderaan

    Alderaan has always been a member of the Galactic Republic that spoke of peace and understanding rather then of war and violence. Because of this many of the Republic saw Alderaan as the heart and soul of the Republic, so when the Empire invaded and quickly overwhelmed the planet it wasn't long until they where meet with a ferocious army of the Republic hell bent on taking it back. However with the attack on the planet the leaders of Alderaan soon became angered and bitter, and for the first time began to speak of war and revenge in the senate because of the Imperial occupation.

    When the treaty of Coruscant was signed the prince of Alderaan stormed out of the senate, and soon there after had announced that Alderann had seceded from the Galactic Republic and that it had become its own independent system. This lead to a very mixed reaction from among the Alderaan people and leadership, which eventually lead to a knife in the back for the Prince, and his wife dieing a few days later. This event caused a power vacuum in the leadership on Alderaan that soon caused a civil war to break out amongst noble houses fighting for the right to leadership of the planet. To make maters worse a forgotten house has shown up claiming right to the thrown that is allied with the Imperial armies, while the Republic continues its support for the house of Organa.

    Voss

    Voss
    Voss

    Voss is a planet discovered by accident shortly after the Treaty of Coruscant, its rocky plateaus, unspoiled peaks and verdant forests were at first inhabited only by Gormak, a tech-savvy but pre-space flight species of extremely hostile natives. The second species to inhabit the planet were the Voss - mystics that are hightly skilled in the use of the Force. Ever since the Voss arrived, they've been fighting a loosing war against the natives and when the Sith and the Republic came in they mysteriously vanished.

    Belsavis

    Belsavis
    Belsavis

    What was once considered an unremarkable world this planet was discovered to be a prison world for the Rakatan Empire. With the galaxies worst in statis the Republic set up its own prison on the planet. After imprisoning some of the worst enemies of the Great War, Imperial agents discovered the secret prison and sent a strike force to release them. The world is now in complete chaos as the thousands of prisoners including Sith Lords and Mandalorians battle across the planet.

    Hoth

    Hoth
    Hoth

    Best known for the Battle of Hoth in 'The Empire Strikes Back'. Once a remote and forgotten world, it is a spaceship graveyard after a massive battle in the Great War. Littered with hundreds of ships from both sides, the planet is the resting place to some of the most powerful ships of the war, including several prototypes the Republic used to turn the tide of battle. After the war pirates took over Hoth to salvage what they could, however after the treaty of Coruscant both Republic and Sith forces have returned to claim the wreckage. The world is now a battlefield of both superpowers fighting to the bitter end.

    Taris

    Taris
    Taris

    Three centuries after Darth Malak ravaged the world in his flagship trying to kill the Jedi Knight Bastila Shan, this post-apocalyptic world is now an abandoned, swamp. The Republic has sent forces to recolonize the world setting up Spaceports and Military bases. However the Republic's biggest challenge will be to rid the city areas of rakghouls. Once confined to the lower areas of the city they now roam, mutated and bigger than before they are now found over wide areas, infecting those who they come across.

    Dromund Kaas

    Dromund Kaas
    Dromund Kaas

    A remote jungle world where the Sith Empire has been building its war machine to wage war across the galaxy. A lost world known only to the Sith, it is home to the Emperor and the largest force of Imperial military.

    Nar Shaddaa

    Nar Shaddaa
    Nar Shaddaa

    The Smugglers Moon of Nar Shaddaa orbits Hut ta and is known as one of the most vibrant and dangerous places in the galaxy. Everything can be found for the right price, making it the ultimate symbol of corruption.

    Corellia

    Corellia
    Corellia

    A founding member of the Galactic Republic, Corellia is one of the most vibrant business centers in the galaxy, and of the highest strategic importance. Besides being the hub for galactic corporate enterprise and maintaining a vocal presence in the Senate, Corellia is also the birthplace of many Republic economic, political, and military leaders. While Coruscant is a symbol of Republic power and tradition, Corellia is a testament to the Republic’s resourcefulness and respect for personal and economic freedom.

    Ilum

    Ilum
    Ilum

    Found originally by Jedi years ago. The ice world Ilum is covered in the crystals needed to construct lightsabers. Over the years the Order has set up enclaves and temples for the Jedi who make their long pilgrimage to the remote world. It was then used as a rite of passage for new Jedi and a quiet place for Jedi Masters to do intense meditation.

    Recently, however, the peaceful world was thrown into chaos when the Sith discovered its location. Slaughtering the Jedi on the planet they gained control of the world. With republic forces spread so thin they could not afford to mount a counter-attack. Recent intelligence now reveals that the Sith might be after something much more than the lightsaber crystals as they devote massive resources to the remote world. Republic leaders and the Jedi council now wonder if they lost a far more valuable planet than they once thought.

    Quesh

    Quesh
    Quesh

    One of the most toxic planets in the galaxy, but also one of the most valuable. The planet, now controlled by the Republic has chemicals that can produce potent adrenals. Unfortunately Republic scientists were unable to master the process of turning Quesh's chemicals into adrenals so they turned to the Hutts for help getting three Hutt cartels to assist in making the process in exchange for a cut of the profits. Due to this the Sith Empire has tired to take control over the world turning it into a battleground.

    Flashpoints

    Rattataki
    Rattataki

    Flashpoints are similar to World of Warcraft's instances where a group of players enters into an instanced-based area to fight against powerful foes. However, Flashpoints will be story-driven giving you objectives, dialog options and dark/light side choices which will effect the outcome of the story.You will also be about to collect loot and new items in each of the Flashpoints. Currently the highest known player count is 4. Certain Flashpoints have "Hard Mode" level 50 versions, with improved loot, available.

    Early Game

    The Esseles - Republic Only - Recommended Level 10 - Hard Mode

    A Republic Transport with a high-profile passenger is under attack by Imperial forces. It's up to you team to defend the ship and eventually decide the fate of the passenger.

    The Black Talon - Empire Only - Recommended Level 10 - Hard Mode

    An Imperial Captain has refused orders to intercept a Republic transport. You and your team must take control of his ship and carry out the orders, then chose how to deal with the insubordinate Captain.

    Hammer Station - Both Sides - Recommended Level 15

    Hammer Station is a republic super weapon, designed to throw asteroids at planets. Unfortunately, it's been taken over by a group of Xenophobic aliens, known as the Advoze Hedgemony. Now the station must be destroyed, before the Advoze use it to attack an inhabited planet.

    Athiss - Both Sides - Recommended Level 20

    An ancient Sith temple, sealed up long ago. Recently, however, an excavation team entered Athiss, and discovered the temple may be more dangerous than they thought.

    Mandalorian Raiders - Both Sides - Recommended Level 23

    Cademimu - Both Sides - Recommended Level 27

    Mid Game

    Taral V - Republic Only - Recommended Level 31 - Hard Mode

    A Jedi critical to the war effort has been taken prisoner. Go behind enemy lines and rescue the Jedi at all costs.

    Boarding Party - Empire Only - Recommended Level 31 - Hard Mode

    A Republic prisoner has escaped! Track down the target and prevent a brutal attack to wipe out the Sith Empire.

    The Foundry - Empire Only - Recommended Level 35 - Hard Mode

    Maelstrom Prison - Republic Only - Recommended Level 35 - Hard Mode

    Colicoid War Games - Both Sides - Recommended Level 39

    The Red Reaper - Both Sides - Recommended Level 43

    End Game

    Directive 7 - Both Sides - Recommended Level 47 - Hard Mode Available

    Droids on a remote moon have rebelled and developed technology that could be bring catastrophic damage down upon both the Republic and Empire alike. Your team needs to shut these droids down before no one can.

    The False Emperor - Both Sides - Recommended Level 49 - Hard Mode

    The Battle of Ilum - Both Sides - Recommended Level 49 - Hard Mode

    Kaon Under Siege - Both Sides - Recommended Level 50 - Hard Mode

    Operations

    Operations are Star Wars: The Old Republic's version of raids. Designed for multiple groups of players, they will offer greater challenge and better rewards than flashpoints. Operations will feature an adjustable difficulty setting to allow players to adjust the challenge based on their personal preference. Group size however is currently unknown.

    End Game

    Eternity Vault

    Located on the planet Belsavis, Eternity Vault will pit players against a threat older than either the Republic or the Empire. Contained deep with in an alien prison on the planet resides a threat so great that it could make the current conflict between the Republic and the Empire insignificant. Players will start on the planet surface and will have to breach the outside of the prison and work their way through the prison complex itself, fighting the defense systems and denizens of the prison to reach the true threat at the heart of it all. It is currently unknown if the operation will be for both the Republic and the Empire, but current information suggests it will be for at least the Empire.

    Companions

    Companions are a major part of Star Wars: The Old Republic. You will come across the first companion early into the game and find others deeper in the story. Each companion has unique likes and dislikes independent of light side/dark side choices. Your actions will increase or decrease a companion's affection for you depending on how they line up with their preferences Affection increases effectiveness during crew skills, and opens up more portions of the companion's story line. Certain companions will be romantically available, similarly to other Bioware games like Mass Effect.

    Jedi Knight

    T7-01 (Astromech Droid)

    • Found On: Tython
    • Combat Style: Ranged Tank/Ranged DPS
    • Armor Type: Droid Armor
    • Weapon Type: Blaster Pistol, Blaster Rifle, Power Generator, and Shield Generator
    • Crew Skills: +10 Bioanalysis Efficency, +2 Slicing Critical

    Kira Carsen (Female Human - Romanceable)

    • Found On: Coruscant
    • Combat Style: Melee DPS
    • Armor Type: Light Armor
    • Weapon Type: Lightsaber, Double-Bladed Lightsaber, Training Saber, and Electrostaff
    • Crew Skills: +5 Synthweaving Critical, +1 Research Critical

    Doc (Male Human - Romanceable)

    • Found On: Balmorra
    • Combat Style: Healer/Ranged DPS
    • Armor Type: Medium Armor
    • Weapon Type: Blaster Pistol and Scatter Gun
    • Crew Skills: +5 Underworld Trading Efficiency, +5 Biochem Critical

    Sargent Rusk (Male Chagrian)

    • Found On: Hoth
    • Combat Style: Ranged DPS
    • Armor Type: Heavy Armor
    • Weapon Type: Assault Cannon, Blaster Rifle and Power Generator
    • Crew Skills: +10 Armstech Efficiency, +10 Scavenging Efficiency

    Lord Scourge (Male Sith Pureblood)

    • Found On: Hoth
    • Combat Style: Melee Tank/Melee DPS
    • Armor: Heavy Armor
    • Weapon type: Lightsaber, Training Saber, Vibrosword, and Shield Generator
    • Crew Skills: +10 Artifice Efficiency, +10 Archaeology Efficiency

    C2-N2 (Droid)

    • Found On: Defender-class Light Corvette

    Jedi Consular

    Qyzen Fess (Male Trandoshan)

    • Found On: Typhon
    • Combat Style: Melee Tank/Melee DPS
    • Armor Type: Heavy Armor
    • Weapon Type: Techblade, Power Generator, and Shield Generator
    • Crew Skills: +5 Bioanalysis Efficiency, +15 Archaeology Efficiency

    Zenith (Male Twi'lek)

    • Found On: Balmorra
    • Combat Style: Ranged DPS
    • Armor Type: Medium Armor
    • Weapon Type: Sniper Rifle, Blaster Rifle, and Scattergun
    • Crew Skills: +15 Treasure Hunting Efficiency, +1 Underworld Trading Critical

    Lt. Felix Iresso (Male Human - Romanceable)

    • Found On: Hoth
    • Combat Style: Ranged Tank/Ranged DPS
    • Armor Type: Heavy Armor
    • Weapon Type: Blaster Pistol, Blaster Rifle, Power Generator, and Shield Generator
    • Crew Skills: +2 Armstech Critical, +2 Scavenging Critical

    Tharan Cedrax (Male Human)

    • Found On: Nar Shaddaa
    • Combat Style: Healer/Ranged DPS
    • Armor Type: Medium Armor
    • Weapon Type: Blaster Pistol and Scattergun
    • Crew Skills: +10 Cybertech Efficiency, +10 Slicing Efficiency

    Nadia Grell (Female Sarkhai - Romanceable)

    • Found On: Belsavis
    • Combat Style: Melee DPS
    • Armor Type: Light Armor
    • Weapon Type: Lightsaber, Double-Bladed Lightsaber, Training Saber, and Electrostaff
    • Crew Skills: +10 Synthweaving Efficiency, +2 Diplomacy Critical

    C2-N2 (Droid)

    • Found On: Defender-class Light Corvette

    Smuggler

    Corso Riggs (Male Human - Romanceable)

    • Found On: Ord Mantell
    • Combat Style: Ranged Tank/Ranged DPS
    • Armor Type: Heavy Armor
    • Weapon Type: Blaster Pistol, Blaster Rifle, Power Generator, and Shield Generator
    • Crew Skills: +5 Underworld Trading Efficiency, +5 Armstech Critical

    Akaavi Spar (Female Zabrak - Romanceable)

    • Found On: Balmorra
    • Combat Style: Ranged DPS
    • Armor Type: Heavy Armor
    • Weapon Type: Techblade, Techstaff and Power Generator
    • Crew Skills: +10 Armormech Efficiency, +2 Bioanalysis Critical

    Bowdaar (Male Wookie)

    • Found On: Nar Shaddaa
    • Combat Style: Melee Tank/Melee DPS
    • Armor Type: Heavy Armor
    • Weapon Type: Training Saber, Vibrosword, Power Generator, and Shield Generator
    • Crew Skills: +10 Cybertech Efficiency, +10 Scavenging Efficiency

    Risha (Female Human - Romanceable)

    • Found On: Taris
    • Combat Style: Ranged DPS
    • Armor Type: Medium Armor
    • Weapon Type: Blaster Rifle, Sniper Rifle and Scattergun
    • Crew Skills: +15 Diplomacy Efficiency, +1 Slicing Critical

    Guss Tuno (Male Mon Calamari)

    • Found On: Hoth
    • Combat Style: Healer/Ranged DPS
    • Armor Type: Medium Armor
    • Weapon type: Blaster Pistol and Scattergun
    • Crew Skills: +10 Archaeology,+2 Critical Treasure Hunting

    C2-N2 (Droid)

    • Found On: XS Light Freighter

    Trooper

    Aric Jorgan (Male Cathar - Romanceable)

    • Found On: Ord Mantell
    • Combat Style: Ranged DPS
    • Armor Type: Heavy Armor
    • Weapon Type: Assault Cannon, Blaster Rifle and Power Generator
    • Crew Skills: +10 Armstech Efficiency, +2 Diplomacy Critical

    Tanno Vik (Male Weequay)

    • Found On: Balmorra
    • Combat Style: Melee Tank/Melee DPS
    • Armor Type: Heavy Armor
    • Weapon Type: Techblade, Power Generator, and Shield Generator
    • Crew Skills: +5 Armormech Critical, +1 Underworld Trading Critical

    M1-4X (Assault Droid)

    • Found On: Nar Shaddaa
    • Combat Style: Ranged Tank/Ranged DPS
    • Armor Type: Heavy Armor
    • Weapon Type: Blaster Pistol, Blaster Rifle, Power Generator, and Shield Generator
    • Crew Skills: +5 Cybertech Efficiency, +5 Scavenging Critical

    Elara Dorne (Female Human - Romanceable)

    • Found On: Taris
    • Combat Style: Healer/Ranged DPS
    • Armor Type: Heavy Armor
    • Weapon Type: Blaster Pistol and Power Generator
    • Crew Skills: +10 Biochem Efficiency, +10 Bioanalysis Efficiency

    Yuun (Male Gand)

    • Found On: Hoth
    • Combat Style: Melee DPS
    • Armor Type: Heavy Armor
    • Weapon Type: Techblade, Techstaff, and Power Generator
    • Crew Skills: +10 Research,+10 Slicing

    C2-N2 (Droid)

    • Found On: BT-7 Thunderclap

    Sith Warrior

    Vette (Female Twilek - Romanceable)

    • Found On: Korriban
    • Combat Style: Ranged DPS
    • Armor Type: Medium Armor
    • Weapon Type: Blaster Pistol or Blaster Rifle
    • Crew Skills: +5 Underworld Trading Efficiency, +5 Treasure Hunting Critical

    Jaesa Willsaam (Female Human - Romanceable)

    • Found On: Hutta
    • Combat Style: Melee DPS
    • Armor: Light Armor
    • Weapon Type: Lightsaber or Double-Bladed Lightsaber, Training Saber, Electrostaff, and Focus
    • Crew Skills: +5 Archaeology Efficiency, +5 Synthweaving Critical

    Malavi Quinn (Male Human - Romanceable)

    • Found On: Balmorra
    • Combat Style: Healer/Ranged DPS
    • Armor Type: Medium Armor
    • Weapon Type: Blaster Pistol and Vibroknife
    • Crew Skills: +10 Armstech Efficiency, +10 Diplomacy Efficiency

    Lieutenant Pierce (Male Human - Romanceable)

    • Found On: Taris
    • Combat Style: Ranged Tank/Ranged DPS
    • Armor Type: Heavy Armor
    • Weapon Type: Blaster Pistol, Blaster Rifle, Power Generator, and Shield Generator
    • Crew Skills: +10 Cybertech Efficiency, +2 Investigation Critical

    Broonmark (Male Talz)

    • Found On: Hoth
    • Combat Style: Melee Tank/Melee DPS
    • Armor Type: Heavy Armor
    • Weapon Type: Vibrosword, Training Sword, Power Generator, and Shield Generator
    • Crew Skills: +10 Scavenging Efficiency, +2 Bioanalysis Critical

    2V-R8 (Droid)

    • Found On: Fury-class Imperial Interceptor

    Sith Inquisitor

    Khem Val (Male Dashade)

    • Found On: Korriban
    • Combat Style: Melee Tank/Melee DPS
    • Armor Type: Heavy Armor
    • Weapon Type: Vibrosword, Training Saber, and Shield Generator
    • Crew Skills: +15 Artifice Efficiency, +5 Research Efficiency

    Andronikos Revel (Male Human - Romanceable)

    • Found On: Tatooine
    • Combat Style: Ranged DPS
    • Armor Type: Medium Armor
    • Weapon Type: Blaster Pistol and Blaster Rifle
    • Crew Skills: +2 Slicing Critical, +2 Underworld Trading Critical

    Ashara Zavros (Female Togruta - Romanceable)

    • Found On: Taris
    • Combat Style: Melee DPS
    • Armor Type: Medium Armor
    • Weapon Type: Lightsaber, Training Saber, and Vibrosword
    • Crew Skills: +10 Synthweaving Efficiency, +10 Diplomacy Efficiency

    Talos Drellik (Male Human)

    • Found On: Hoth
    • Combat Style: Healer/Ranged DPS
    • Armor Type: Medium Armor
    • Weapon Type: Blaster Pistol and Vibroknife
    • Crew Skills: +5 Treasure Hunting Efficiency, +5 Archaeology Critical

    Xalek (Male Kaleesh)

    • Found On: Voss
    • Combat Style: Ranged DPS
    • Armor Type: Light Armor
    • Weapon Type: Double-Bladed Lightsaber, Electrostaff, Focus, and Shield Generator
    • Crew Skills: +10 Bioanalysis Efficiency, +2 Scavenging Critical

    2V-R8 (Droid)

    • Found On: Fury-class Imperial Interceptor

    Bounty Hunter

    Mako (Female Human - Romanceable)

    • Found On: Hutta
    • Combat Style: Healer/Ranged Healer
    • Armor Type: Medium Armor
    • Weapon Type: Blaster Pistol and Vibroknife
    • Crew Skills: +15 Slicing Efficiency, +5 Cybertech Efficiency

    Blizz (Male Jawa)

    • Found On: Hoth
    • Combat Style: Ranged Tank/Ranged DPS
    • Armor Type: Heavy Armor
    • Weapon Type: Blaster Pistol, Power Generator, and Shield Generator
    • Crew Skill: +15 Armormech Efficiency, +1 Armstech Critical

    Skadge (Male Houk)

    • Found On: Belsavis
    • Combat Style: Melee Tank/Melee DPS
    • Armor Type: Heavy Armor
    • Weapon Type: Techblade, Power Generator, and Shield Generator
    • Crew Skills: +10 Scavenging Efficiency, +2 Treasure Hunting Critical

    Torian Caldera (Male Human, - Romance-able)

    • Found On: Taris
    • Combat Style: Melee DPS
    • Armor Type: Heavy Armor
    • Weapon Type: Techblade, Techstaff, and Power Generator
    • Crew Skills: +10 Research Efficiency, +2 Bioanalysis Critical

    Gault (Male Devorian)

    • Found On: Tattooine
    • Combat Style: Ranged DPS
    • Armor Type: Medium Armor
    • Weapon Type: Blaster Rifle, Sniper Rifle, and Vibroknife
    • Crew Skills: +10 Underworld Trading Efficiency, +2 Biochem Critical

    2V-R8 (Droid)

    • Found On: D5-Mantis

    Imperial Agent

    Kaliyo Djannis (Female Rattataki - Romanceable)

    • Found On: Hutta
    • Combat Style: Ranged Tank/Ranged DPS
    • Armor Type: Heavy Armor
    • Weapon Type: Blaster Pistol, Blaster Rifle, Power Generator, and Shield Generator
    • Crew Skills: +10 Armstech Efficiency, +2 Underworld Trading Critical

    Vector Hyllis (Male Human - Romanceable)

    • Found On: Alderaan
    • Combat Style: Melee DPS
    • Armor Type: Light Armor
    • Weapon Type: Electrostaff, Focus, and Power Generator
    • Crew Skills: +5 Bioanalysis Efficiency, +5 Diplomacy Critical

    Doctor Lokin (Male Human)

    • Found On: Taris
    • Combat Style: Healer/Melee DPS
    • Armor Type: Medium Armor
    • Weapon Type: Blaster Pistol and Vibroknife
    • Crew Skills: +15 Biochem Efficiency, +10 Investigation Efficiency

    Ensign Raina Temple (Female Human - Romanceable)

    • Found On: Quesh
    • Combat Style: Ranged DPS
    • Armor Type: Medium Armor
    • Weapon Type: Blaster Pistol and Blaster Rifle
    • Crew Skills: +10 Scavenging Efficiency, +2 Armormech Critical

    SCORPIO (Droid)

    • Found On: Belsavis
    • Combat Style: Melee Tank/Melee DPS
    • Armor Type: Droid Armor
    • Weapon Type: Techblade, Techstaff, Power Generator, and Shield Generator
    • Crew Skills: +5 Bioanalysis, +5 Diplomacy Critical

    2V-R8 (Droid)

    • Found On: X-70 Phantom

    Starships

    The Old Republic follow its predecessors will give each player a Starship early on in the game. Not only will these ships be used as a form of transport between planets but will be used as a home base to walk around in, interact with companion characters and players and take into space battles across the galaxy.

    XS Stock Light
    XS Stock Light

    Smuggler

    Successor to the Dynamic-class freighter (such as the Ebon Hawk) from the Jedi Civil War era. It has been given an upgrade in size, agility and nearly everything else too, making it one of the fastest ships in the galaxy. Covered in secret compartments the ship is perfect for smuggling contraband or anything else that the captain wants to keep hidden. Armed with a standard laser and torpedo batteries, the ship is designed with two turrets on the utter and lower hulls that can be controlled manually or in the cockpit.

    Fury
    Fury

    Sith Warrior, Sith Inquisitor

    Featuring an advanced hyper-drive and powerful sub-light engines the Fury is the most versatile starship in the Imperial fleet. Originally designed for high-priority military missions, it caught the eye of many Sith Lords and has become a favorite for their personal use. Later models of the starship took this into consideration and the interior is now designed for Sith Lords rather than Military personal. Sporting the maneuverability of a smaller fighter and fitted with armaments that rival many larger starships the Fury is a force to be reckoned with.

    Defender
    Defender

    Jedi Knight, Jedi Consular

    Created during the Jedi Civil War the Defender was custom-designed for the Jedi Order. The ship has been built with a two level interior. The top level having a

    holocom system especially to communivate with the Jedi Counsil, as well as a meeting room and conferance room for planning missions. The lower level includes a medical bay, cargo hold and quarters for the Jedi. While the Jedi are committed to peace the ship is fitted with a powerful shield and twin turbo lasers to deal with enemies.

    Imperial Agent

    So highly advanced that they were impossible to mass produced. The ones that were made are given only to the most trustworthy Imperial Agents. The ship is fitted with some of the best technology and weapons to date and the the hull is designed to be sensor resistant.

    Space Combat

    Space combat in an asteroid field.
    Space combat in an asteroid field.

    Space Combat is an optional aspect of The Old Republic. Upon getting a ship, the player will find an intercom offering them various space missions. These missions can be accessed by selecting the location where they take place on the galaxy map (they will appear similarly to planets). These space missions currently take the form of on-rail shooters, although the player is able to fly around the screen. Each mission has unique objectives.

    Your ship can be also outfitted with special armor, bought from vendors, which upgrade things like armor, shield strength, shield recharge, weapon damage, number of missiles available, and so on. As you level up over time the missions will increase in difficultly and become more complex, requiring more expensive ship upgrades to be reasonably achieved.

    Space Combat missions are entirely optional. Unlike previous Knights of the Old Republic games, there is no risk of space combat while travelling from planet to planet.

    Voice Acting

    At E3 2009, BioWare announced that Star Wars: The Old Republic would be fully voice acted. In July, BioWare talked to Joystiq about their voice acting techniques and said that the script for the game is the size of over 40 novels and consists of over 100 voice actors that will perform 1,000 4-hour sessions of recording by the game's completion. The game is said to go down in video game history for how much voice acting there is in the game.

    At Gamescom 2009, it was announced that the game would be fully localized in French and German.

    Gameplay

    Cover System

    Two classes, the Smuggler and the Imperial Agent, have access to a cover system. While in cover, these classes have access to additional abilities, however they are unable to move. This trade off can be risk in some scenarios, especially PVP or end game operations, however the DPS version of these classes require cover for optimal output. While these characters can take cover using natural terrain, if there is no cover available they will automatically deploy portable shields for the same effect.

    PVP

    Player Versus Player is a major system in The Old Republic. The first place most players will encounter PVP combat is in one of three designated "Warzones" currently in the game. The first, "Alderaan Civil War" is a control point based scenario where the two factions compete for control of three turrets which, when captured, will fire at an enemy ship. Each ship starts with 600 "points" and the first to diminish the other team's health to zero through capturing and holding three turrets wins. The second, "Voidstar" is an attack/defend map, where one faction is set to defend certain doors, and keep the other, offensive team, from planting explosives on them, eventually reaching a computer terminal at the end. The third, "Huttball" is similar to american soccer. A ball is placed in the center of the field, and either team tries to get the ball to the opposing goal. The field, however, is treacherous, and players can be killed by it very easily-- Or kill enemies with it. To enter a Warzone, once a player reaches level ten they can click a button on the lower right hand side of their minimap to queue. There is not currently a way to select which Warzone you would like to enter; You must queue randomly for all three.

    Outside of these warzones, players can choose to participate in PVP combat anywhere, either by selecting a PVP or RP-PVP server when the begin the game, or by flagging themselves for PVP while on a PVE sever. There are also several World PVP zones, including the entire planet of Ilum, which have special objectives. By participating in PVP combat, players earn Valor, a sort of experience which increases ones Valor Rank, unlocking new titles (every tenth rank) or items, and Warzone or Mercenary commendations (depending on where the PVP took place), currencies used to purchase special PVP related items.

    Bioware has indicated plans for more Warzones to be released via future patches.

    Crew Skills

    Crew Skills is the crafting system in Star Wars: The Old Republic. The crafting is primarily done by the player's companions, with some gathering done by the player. The player can, for a fee, send companions away on missions to bring back materials, or send companions away to craft something. The companions will not fight alongside you while they are deployed on missions.

    There are four gathering skills, Bioanalysis, Scavenging, Slicing, and Archaeology, and three mission skills, Diplomacy, Treasure Hunting and Underworld Trading. Slicing does not gather materials for crafting skills, instead bringing back money and items.

    The crafting skills are as follows:

    Armormech - Designing armor for non-force-user classes.

    Synthweaving - Designing armor for force-use classes.

    Armstech - Creating blasters, and such.

    Artifice - Creating lightsaber crystals, weapon modifications, artifacts, and other item upgrades.

    Cybertech - Creating armor upgrades, and cybernetic implants.

    Biochem - Creating Stimpacks and Medkits.

    Players can "reverse-engineer" items which they can create, which will return some of the materials used, and has a chance of teaching the player how to create a superior version of the item.

    Each companion has special benefits to certain crew skills. Increasing affection with a companion will decrease the amount of time it takes to complete tasks.

    Expansions

    On December 18th 2012, Bioware announced "Rise of the Hutt Cartel", the first "digital expansion" for Star Wars: The Old Republic. It will feature a 5 level increase, to a cap of 55, new story content, and access to the new planet of Makeb, where "the Galactic Republic and Sith Empire fight for control over a powerful secret."

    No Caption Provided

    The story line of the expansion will feature a plan from the Hutt Cartel to overthrow the Galactic Republic and Sith Empire to becoming the galaxy's new superpower. There is currently no word on whether the expansion will feature new class-specific storyline content.

    The expansion will cost $19.99, or $9.99 for subscribers. In their FAQ on the expansion, Bioware said that there will not be a retail release of the expansion. It is currently labeled as having a tentative "Spring 2013" release date. Those who pre-order by January 7th 2013 will receive 5 days of early access to the expansion.

    Beta sign ups

    On September 30 2009 the Beta sign ups of the closed beta for Star Wars The Old Republic started. Within minutes, the website was flooded with so many people vying to apply to the game that the servers couldn't handle the demand and simply stopped working. The site was down most of the day with only sporadic moments where it was usable. To apply, you had to either make an account on their website or use an existing one, agree to a non-disclosure agreement, then fill out a form that consisted of your name, address, country, province, postal code and phone number. After which they would scan your system to see what hardware you had and send it in with the aforementioned data they collected. It is yet unknown when people will be selected to play the beta or when it will actually begin. However, judging from the response by the fan base so far, it doesn't look like they will have a hard time finding people to test their game.

    When you tried to connect to the website you where greeted with this message:

    "Thank you for visiting www.StarWarsTheOldRepublic.com. We are making adjustments to the site due to the overwhelming response to the testing announcement. Please be patient and check back later. We estimate that the site will be back up in the next few hours."

    Threat of Peace

    On 02/07/2009 BioWare announced that they would be starting a web comic based on the game that would be created by Dark Horse Comics called “Star Wars: The Old Republic - Threat of Peace”. It would be released free of charge every other Friday on the starwarstheoldrepublic.com’s website to try and draw fans into the setting and give them a bases for what the games story will encompass. The comic will be written by BioWare’s Rob Chestney with art by Alex Sanchez and it will span three decades beginning from the signing of the Treaty of Coruscant to major events that occur at the beginning of the game. Dark Horse Comic’s have been the company that has been charged with creating all of the comic book based stories set in the Star Wars universe for some time now. Fans have been generally excited about this news as Dark Horse has a proven track record of treating the Star Wars franchise well.

    The release of the comic however has garnered mixed results with the fan base. Many where turned off by the awkward art style used in the comic while others just fund it competent. The series has also had many problems with the way it has chosen to develop its story and how it chose to introduce the characters. Many people have found it poorly written and awkward to understand what is going on at any one frame as it skips between many different characters and settings, sometimes three or more times on one page. It has lead to many people giving up on reading the comic as they have no idea what is going on or why they should care about the characters that have been introduced as they have no sense of introduction other than to just appear on the page with no back story or place of reference for the readers to work from. It is yet unknown how many installments will be released or if it will end once the game is released but as of now it appears as though it will continue up until the game’s release date some time in Spring 2011.

    Friday Updates

    On 12.19.2008 they announced that every Friday on the swtor.com website they would regularly release new info about the game. So far it has been varied between Class Reveal, Developer Blog, Planet Reveal, Video Jedi Archives (Timeline), Video Documentary, the current webcomic, and Fan Friday.

    Class Reveal – BioWare announced all of the known classes one at a time over a period of a few months in what they called Class Reveals. The first to be released was the Bounty Hunter, followed by the Trooper and finally The Sith Warrior and Smuggler. The final classes to be reveal were the Sith Inquisitor and the Jedi Consular. They are currently revamping each class page, starting with the Sith Warrior.

    Developer Blog - The developer blog is as the name implies, a blog postings from the games developers. A selected developer would write up a shot page or two that discusses some aspect of the games production. It has ranged from how they write stories for the game to information about the inspirations for classes and what went into design how they would function in the game.

    Planet Reveal – BioWare would release information as well as concept art and occasionally screen shots of one of the worlds that will be in the game. So far they have released 13 planets, with the most recent being Hoth.

    Video Jedi Archives (Timeline)- These have been video’s narrated by Master Gnost-Dural that describe various points of interest that happen during the game. They have been very well received by the community and are a personal favorite for many. The archives consist of a voice actor playing the part of Master Gnost-Dural who would describe an important event in the games history while various still images depicting the story would appear in the video to compliment the voice over in telling an engaging story.

    Video Documentary – The Video Documentaries have been a behind the scenes look of what has been going in the making of the game. They have ranged from sh

    owing various levels getting created to characters being modeled. As well the video documentary was the first time we had a chance to see any kind of in game footage of it running.

    Threat of Peace/Blood of the Empire – Both Threat of Peace and Blood of the Empire are webcomics that were developed by Dark Horse comics and were written by BioWare to help compliment the games story. They follow three-hundred years of history leading up to events that take place at the start of the game. They are meant to help inform the player base of what has lead up to the current situation they will be begin in as well as give them an idea of what to expect in the game once it is released. Threat of Peace was the first webcomic series and ended February 26, 2010. Blood of the Empire was started shortly afterward, and is currently being released at a rate of about 1 comic every 2 weeks.

    Fan Friday- Fan Fridays are recurrent features which showcase various pieces of work by the community, including fan art and fan fiction. Also appearing in Fan Fridays are developer corners, which show a part of the game the developers are working on. Examples include special effects, taxi cabs, character customization, and depth of field. New polls and avatars are often put out with Fan Fridays as well.

    Limited Collector's Edition

    When announced, Star Wars: The Old Republic Collector's edition quickly went up to the #1 best seller on Amazon (in video games). It sold out quickly, but was later restocked and available for pre-order again. The Collector's edition will cost $149.99 MSRP. Physical items Included in this edition are the following:

    • The Journal of Master Gnost-Dural sketchbook
    • 9" Dark Malgus statue
    • 12" x 20" galaxy map
    • Security authentication key fob for your game account
    • Music of Star Wars: The Old Republic orchestral album
    • Steelbook game case

    There will also be a handful of digital items included as well. The following digital items are included:

    • Lightsaber/blaster color-changing stone
    • Flare gun: Shoots flares
    • Training droid: Provides combat assistance
    • HoloCam: Records in-game adventures
    • HoloDancer: Dances for your perverse amusement
    • Mouse droid: Droid sidekick
    • Exclusive store: Unique store with exclusive Items

    System Requirements

    Minimum:

    • OS - Windows XP | Vista | 7
    • CPU - AMD Athlon 64 X2 (Dual-Core 4000+ or better) | Intel Core 2 Duo (2.0GHz of better)
    • RAM - Windows XP: 1.5GB | Windows Vista/7: 2GB
    • GPU - ATI X1800 or better | nVidia 7800 or better | Intel 4100 Integrated Graphics or better*
    • DVD-ROM 8x or better**

    *Minimum of 256MB of on-board RAM & Shader 3.0 support or better

    **DVD-ROM not required for digital download provided by Origin.

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