29 replies to this topic

[Zephyria]

Well guys. Sorry this took so long. I've been kinda playing some games I got for xmas and....ehhhh...

So, what game am I reviewing today? (Well it's more of a first impressions, but you get the idea) If the title didn't give it away, I'm playing...


So...The Old Republic. I've been wanting to play this game for a while, actually. I think it went F2P rather recently, and that's the only way I was able to play, seeing as I REALLY don't wish to pay like...20$ for a subscription. It's a Bioware game, so I went in with HIGH expectations for the story, and god I wasn't disappointed.

Spoiler

^My Character^

The character creation system is standard Bioware fare, where you can edit your face. I noticed, however, that it wasn't as in-deep as say...Dragon Age or Mass Effect. But you know what it did have? An option to change body type. So I went with a...not big, but not anorexic body type.

Right after that...guess what happened? The Star Wars Credit Scroll! Yes, Bioware added in the credit scroll. Something about a "Big Hunt" for bounty hunters, so my character had gone to a swampy planet named "Hutta" in order to get a entrance medal from a Hutt called Nem'ro. After the scroll happened, I was treated to a cutscene of my character entering a...bar or cantina thing, and getting introduced to "The guy who could get me an audience with Nem'ro", and his friends Mako, a healer, and a Lizard guy (I never got his name)

Spoiler

^The Swampy Lands of Hutta^

The graphics are...actually pretty good for an MMO. At first, I wasn't getting that good performance even on very low, but I realized that was probably because I had everything but the kitchen sink running in the Background. After I realized this, I closed it out and ran Windows Media Player. This allowed me to play it on Medium gfx settings decently. MOST of these pictures were taken on medium. However a few were on low settings. It has a distinctly cartoony art style about it, actually. Lying in between Darksiders and Realistic. All the proportions are realistic, but it's kinda blocky, on purpose.
AND THEN WE GET TO THE COMBAT.  Ohhh boy, the combat. Seeing as I've only played a Bounty Hunter character, who relies on blasters and other weaponry for combat. When you walk past certain NPCs (their names are red) they'll sometimes attack you. It's not the deepest combat system, even by Bioware standards. Click an ability on the bottom bar, and it'll target the last enemy you shot at, and boom. You can still feel like a badass, though. Especially when something like

Spoiler

^THIS^

happens, which made me feel completely badass.
The only thing I didn't like was it's high ammount of glitches. None of which were gamebreaking, but...plenty were annoying or just plain funny. The game DOES tend to crash when I exit it, but that's probably my computer more than anything.

Spoiler

^Such as this. He's not massive or anything. I had killed him, and he just...floated above the ledge.^

My final score?

9/10

Pros: One of the only MMORPG games I've played that puts the storyline first. Meets Bioware's high standards of Quality. STAR WARS LICENSE, Good graphics for an MMO.
Cons: Somewhat Glitchy.  Sub-par combat system. Beyond the story and License, it's a lot like other MMORPGs.

Oh, guys. Go to HERE if you wanna download and play it. F2P has plenty of restrictions, but I still HIGHLY reccomend it.
If you join, my name is "Seradima" I'm in the Shadowlands server.

[Phoenyx]

I looked up some info, and honestly I think it needs podracing and a few other additional features. At the moment, it appears to be a typical "kill stuff for loot so you can kill bigger stuff for better loot" type of game, just more story driven than most.

[Zephyria]

Bioware don't do vehicle sections.

Last ones they did handled like ass. On a stick. (Looking at you, Mass Effect 1)

[Phoenyx]

Bioware don't do vehicle sections.

Last ones they did handled like ass. On a stick. (Looking at you, Mass Effect 1)

That doesn't mean they can't try to get better at it. Also, why does it have to be just a section? Why not make it an integrated side-game with dedicated resources? I'm sure that if they focus on it for a major update, they can do a lot better than if it was just tacked on.

[Zephyria]

Bioware don't do vehicle sections.

Last ones they did handled like ass. On a stick. (Looking at you, Mass Effect 1)

That doesn't mean they can't try to get better at it. Also, why does it have to be just a section? Why not make it an integrated side-game with dedicated resources? I'm sure that if they focus on it for a major update, they can do a lot better than if it was just tacked on.

Because no. You want a podracing game, go play Podracer on the N64. Making vehicle sections a main point of gameplay will take effort away from the main game. And so neither the main game OR racing minigames are any good.

[Phoenyx]

Because no. You want a podracing game, go play Podracer on the N64. Making vehicle sections a main point of gameplay will take effort away from the main game. And so neither the main game OR racing minigames are any good.

You're forgetting that, as an MMO, Star Wars: TOR thrives on additional content being added regularly. It's not like more conventional games, which survive even if their developers move on. If the money isn't coming in, the developers will pull the plug and then no one will be able to play. But people will only keep playing (and thus paying for premium content) if they have a reason to. It's what happened to LEGO Universe, Ultima Online and Star Wars Galaxies.

On another note, I've played Star Wars Episode 1: Racer. The obvious lack of online multiplayer, even for the PC version, as well as the lack of the ability to incorporate user-made content is something that keeps me from continuing to play it.

[Zephyria]

Yes because as you know, Online multiplayer is needed in every f****ing game ever. EVER. !!!!111!1111111111!!!!!1!1!!1!!!!!oneoneelevenoneoneone


Also, yes it does thrive on title updates. And that's why it's getting a new DLC this spring. That adds not only gay romances, but entirely new quests and armor. Which the combat and exploration aspect of this game is based off.

EDIT: And yes, I understand why a game like Podracer would need multiplayer, but still...

[Phoenyx]

Yes because as you know, Online multiplayer is needed in every f****ing game ever. EVER. !!!!111!1111111111!!!!!1!1!!1!!!!!oneoneelevenoneoneone

EDIT: And yes, I understand why a game like Podracer would need multiplayer, but still...

Not every game, but it adds to the replay value. I'm not the kind of person who spends money on a game, plays it entirely, and then tosses it aside to buy the next title in the series. When I buy a game, I intend to get my money's worth out of it, and frankly a game I can't go back to again and again with the exception of starting it over is not something I feel I can get my money's worth out of.

Also, yes it does thrive on title updates. And that's why it's getting a new DLC this spring. That adds not only gay romances, but entirely new quests and armor. Which the combat and exploration aspect of this game is based off.

New quests with the same gameplay, new items, and an addition to a feature that doesn't need to be hard-coded in anyway due to the communication features of the game in the first place. Sounds like a shovelware DLC package to me.

O.T.	Also, I'd like to state that if you're going to say things about me, I prefer you contact me directly instead of saying them behind my back on a communications service I don't have. Just so you know.

[Zephyria]

>New Feature that doesn't have to be hardcoded in any way. I don't think you understand. They're actual, ingame romances with ingame characters. To flesh out and explore the characters backstory and unlock new options and interaction.

Because gameplay is maybe 20% of TOR. That's what you're not getting at all. Gameplay is only a small part of TOR, where the biggest draw is the story, and character interactions. Not some Sub-par combat system. And the new DLC appears to be just that. With an entirely new planet with entirely new characters to get lost in.

[Phoenyx]

>New Feature that doesn't have to be hardcoded in any way. I don't think you understand. They're actual, ingame romances with ingame characters. To flesh out and explore the characters backstory and unlock new options and interaction.

And that's not possible with chat and editable player character bios? Or are you talking about Player/NPC relationships?

Because gameplay is maybe 20% of TOR. That's what you're not getting at all. Gameplay is only a small part of TOR, where the biggest draw is the story, and character interactions. Not some Sub-par combat system.

Then why not make it a movie? Isn't the point of games to play them? Or "have they evolved beyond needing decent gameplay"?

[Zephyria]

1) Character/NPC Romances

2) Because movies don't allow choice or multiple outcomes. It's one solid path of progression.

[Phoenyx]

1) Character/NPC Romances

Understandable. I guess it's important for immersion.

2) Because movies don't allow choice or multiple outcomes. It's one solid path of progression.

Again understandable, but why has that come to justify a lack of gameplay in games?

[McJobless]

2) Because movies don't allow choice or multiple outcomes. It's one solid path of progression.

Again understandable, but why has that come to justify a lack of gameplay in games?

Are you completely high? There is no lack of gameplay. Just because you don't enjoy the gameplay for what it is doesn't mean it's not there. So long as it's not a slideshow (aka Plumbers Don't Wear Ties), it technically counts as a game with gameplay.

[Phoenyx]

Are you completely high? There is no lack of gameplay. Just because you don't enjoy the gameplay for what it is doesn't mean it's not there. So long as it's not a slideshow (aka Plumbers Don't Wear Ties), it technically counts as a game with gameplay.

Dang... I intended to say decent gameplay.

[McJobless]

Dang... I intended to say decent gameplay.

Decent is based on opinion.

[Phoenyx]

Decent is based on opinion.

So is my idea of adding podracing to the game.

[McJobless]

Decent is based on opinion.

So is my idea of adding podracing to the game.

Which is not what I'm calling you out on. I'm calling you out on the fact that you believe that, from what you said, many modern games do not have "decent" gameplay.

[Phoenyx]

Which is not what I'm calling you out on. I'm calling you out on the fact that you believe that, from what you said, many modern games do not have "decent" gameplay.

Which is also my opinion. I grew up mainly playing games like Sonic R, Street Fighter, F-Zero X, Mario Kart 64, Incoming, even X-Men vs Street Fighter. Games that put the story aside in preference to gameplay and player involvement. There are several modern games that I do believe have decent gameplay. It's just that a lot of other modern games either have recycled gameplay (COD, Halo, the TT LEGO Games, etc), or had overly simplistic gameplay where you just move around and mash just one or two buttons with strategy akin to Leroy Jenkins.

[Lair of Rockwhales]

recycled gameplay
TT LEGO Games

AAAAAAGH
sorry this is still a sore spot and will be until LEGO GETS THEIR HEADS RIGHT
I'm not contributing am I

[McJobless]

Which is also my opinion. I grew up mainly playing games like Sonic R, Street Fighter, F-Zero X, Mario Kart 64, Incoming, even X-Men vs Street Fighter. Games that put the story aside in preference to gameplay and player involvement. There are several modern games that I do believe have decent gameplay. It's just that a lot of other modern games either have recycled gameplay (COD, Halo, the TT LEGO Games, etc), or had overly simplistic gameplay where you just move around and mash just one or two buttons with strategy akin to Leroy Jenkins.

I'm going to have to disagree with you. Portal 2 and Trackmania are prime examples of recycled gameplay, and yet they're fun? CoD and Halo are working off what's fun, and they have a brilliant mix of storyline (although CoD is usually more Hollywood than storyline) to involve the player in the experience.