Biggs' Zone

A Geek's Cogitations, Conjectures and other Cortical Experiences

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Thoughts and ponderings about PC and consoling gaming.

The MMO Times: More From E3

By

On June 11, 2011

In MMO Times, MMORPG

Issue 16

Well, I have managed to get another issue written so that’s a good sign. E3, SWTOR and a new WoW content patch is helping to keep the interesting articles coming. This is a shorter one because I wanted to get the rest of the E3 items out to you guys. So enjoy the following articles gamers!

New Star Trek MMO
Don’t get too excited, its not another STO, this one is browser based. German developer Keen Games announced this new MMO at E3 this year. Its currently in closed beta but has a pretty sweet trailer. MMO-Champion has the article.
Article Links(s): MMO-Champion, Star Trek: Infinite Space Website

SWTOR Raid Video!
More exciting SWTOR news out of E3. They have released a 10-minute video of the first SWTOR raid, Belsavis. Pardon me while I wipe the drool from my face and keyboard. In SWTOR raids are referred to as Operations (btw, instances are called Flashpoints).
Article Link(s): MMO-Champion

WoW:Firelands Weapons Preview
MMO-Champion has some images of the new weapons that players will be able to get from the new Firelands raid. The images don’t tell us if they are spell, melee or tank but you can probably guess by what type of weapon it is (1H, 2H, staff, knight [dagger], etc).
Article Link(s): MMO-Champion

Razer Introduces SWTOR Keyboard
More exciting TOR news coming from E3. Massively has some video footage of Dover from Darth Hater talking to Razer at E3 about this absolutely awesome MMO gaming peripheral set with a SWTOR design. My geek is in overload.
Article Link(s): Massively

E3 Gives RIFT Players First Look at 1.3 Patch
Have I said how much I love E3? Massively has a decent sized article about the 1.3 patch for RIFT (due out on the live servers June 22nd).  I haven’t actually played RIFT but I know plenty of people that do play it and they seem to really enjoy it. It looks like this patch has some nice new additions that should get players excited.
Article Link(s): Massively

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SWTOR: Geeking Out!!

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On June 8, 2011

In MMORPG, SWTOR

I gotta tell ya, I’m so stoked about the gameplay of Star Wars The Old Republic that I can hardly contain myself. The new UI, the combat, the story, the music, I just can’t get enough of this game!

I have now played a Jedi Knight and a Sith Warrior to level 11/12 and they have made it very difficult to choose which side. I love the Jedi, their ethics, their values and morals, the whole mantra around what it means to be a Jedi; but there is something thrilling and fun about being bad. I think I will go over my Sith Warrior experience in a separate post so stay tuned for that.

They have really changed the way professions work in this game (assuming they keep the mechanic at launch). It really reduces/removes the constant grinding of gathering and crafting, gathering and crafting, gathering and crafting … you get the picture. As you acquire companions along the way they become more then just some extra DPS or tank, you can put them to work! Do you want to complete a really interesting questline or go run the new instance instead of leveling your professions? Then send your companions out to do it for you. When you get back you have some extra profession skill points, maybe some dark/light side points, a new piece of gear and/or even some cash. They will even work when you are offline. Its virtual slave labor!

The combat is amazing. I mean, who has always wanted to be in a lightsaber duel?!? I know I have; that’s why I have six different Force FX Lightsabers! The lightsaber combat in this game really gets the geek inside aroused. Then there is Force Charge/Leap which is so much fun you wish it didn’t have a cooldown!

The quests really add to the Star Wars experience. They do have the occasional “Free XP” quests but most of the quests are rich with lore and can really get you engaged into the story.

I think I have rambled on enough but there will be more to come.

SWTOR: Back in the Beta Again

By

On June 5, 2011

In Gaming, MMORPG, SWTOR

My lament over the ending of my SWTOR beta testing was short lived, this past week I received a re-invite to test it again! My excitement was beyond words.

This round of testing I have decided to try different classes instead of returning to the Jedi Knight. I have begun a Sith Warrior; I felt it was time to see what it was like on the other side.

This time I have also decided to try a class other then the Force sensitive classes. I’m still concerned that there will be an overabundance of Jedi or Sith and not enough of the other classes. Therefore I have also started a Rebel Trooper class.

My impressions so far is that they have made some huge adjustments. The entire UI has been redesigned and re-skinned and it looks much more fresh and modern. It definitely has a better Star Wars look to it. They have also changed some of the classes, rebalanced and retooled. Initially some of the classes seem a little overpowered but that could be because its still the beta.

They have made no indication yet as to when they will officially release the game nor have they alluded to any kind of public beta. There are still a few bugs and it seems there is still some lag and framerate issues especially during peak hours.

Stay tuned as I continue to provide my impressions of The Old Republic.

SWTOR: Jedi Knight Class

By

On March 24, 2011

In Gaming, SWTOR

I started my beta testing with the Jedi Knight class. So far it seems that this is basically your melee and tank class. If you have been following any of the details BioWare has been releasing you may already know that the Jedi Knight has two specializations that define whether the Jedi is a tank or melee DPS. The Guardian class is your Jedi Tank and the Sentinel class is your Jedi melee class.

So far the spells and combat make the class really fun to play. In fact I’m actually a little concerned that perhaps the Jedi Knight class is so enjoyable that there might be an overabundance of Jedi Knight players, an issue that plagued Star Wars Galaxies. Do you blame them, I mean who doesn’t want to be a Jedi??

The responses you choose and the decisions you make as you level through your storyline will determine whether you are a dark Jedi or a light Jedi. So far I haven’t been brave enough to pick any of the dark Jedi options though some of them are pretty humorous. Since my beta time is limited I will only be leveling my Jedi Knight to 10 so I can experience how a player selects the Guardian path or the Sentinel class.

I plan to try as many of the other classes as I can so check back when I go over the Bounty Hunter class.

Cheers.

 

SWTOR: First Impressions

By

On March 14, 2011

In Gaming, SWTOR

So it has been a while since I last spoke of Star Wars The Old Republic, probably because I was a little upset that they teased me with a beta invite … and then had to cancel my testing group.

Well, I am excited to report that I have received another invite, this time to test the whole game and until May 17th. I have already created 2 characters, a Jedi Knight and a Sith Inquisitor. Now I can’t talk about things that Bioware has not already released publicly so if anyone were to post any questions, I may or may not be able to answer it depending on the context of the question.

So I will start with my first impressions and I will try not to geek out too much. The movement controls are familiar and comfortable, your standard WSAD. The graphics are pretty sweet, even for a beta. The environment details, the Jedi Temple details are just awesome. I have only gone a few levels so there is much more to try out but so far the combat is pretty sweet, some of the abilities you get early on just give me chills.

I really like the lore and the story that unfolds. I love the concept they are trying with quests where the NPCs actually speak to you and you are given three options as your reply. According to the developer videos, how you reply will alter the perception of your character in the future both by the NPCs and by other players. It is a really neat concept. Oh, and none of the NPCs that have actual dialog, sound the same. I believe Bioware said that they brought in several actors to provide voices for the story questlines. It really adds a new and unique level of quality to the experience.

Then there’s the music. I think its the music that really pulls me in. I love the music.

I am going to stop here for now, I don’t want to talk about too much because I want you guys to keep coming back. I will answer the one question I have had some people ask me already. Is SWTOR a WoW-killer? I am going to tell you what I told them. I think right now its too early to tell but I think TOR has the same groundwork (from a lore perspective) as Warcraft. So, to that end, my answer is, it has the greatest potential over any of the other MMOs which made the same claim to be a WoW-killer.

Biggs On: Pre-Cataclysm World Event

By

On November 20, 2010

In Biggs On, World of Warcraft

So the World of Warcraft Pre-Cataclysm World Event has been going on for a few weeks now. The first phase involved random earthquakes shaking old world Azeroth. Phase 2 brought random rifts in various parts of Kalimdor, Eastern Kingdoms, Northrend and Outlands that brought forth angry elementals; killing 10 of them would close the rift (and grant you a Feat of Stength achievement if you closed one of each kind of rift). Then Phase 3 started; the elementals are now attacking four of the major cities: Stormwind, Ironforge, Orgrimmar, and Thunderbluff. The events require that you put up fortifications, elite elementals are everywhere, the weather has turned to torrential rain, buildings are on fire … it is complete pandemonium! It is epic!

In my personal opinion, this is far better then the world event for Lich King. Yes, the zombies were fitting and the occasionally scourge attack on Orgrimmar and Stormwind Harbor were pretty cool but I think Blizzard definitely kicked it up a notch with this world event.

There is one more phase before December 7th and we will see Deathwing and he will randomly kill us all while changing the landscape, and the face, of Azeroth forever.

I can’t wait!

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