Star Wars: The Old Republic will be the first fully voiced MMO
Star Wars: The Old Republic is definitely one of the most anticipated in-development MMO’s. A Massively Multiplayer Online follow-up to Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 1 and 2, the MMO is looking to take the genre to all-new heights and introduce it to parts of the galaxy it has never seen before (that’s my rather unclever way of saying it will take MMO’s in a new direction).
The biggest improvements to the genre will come via the game’s storyline, which will be entirely audibly spoken. Making Star Wars: The Old Republic the first fully voiced MMO. It will also apparently be one of the largest voice-over projects in gaming history.
At E3 2009 BioWare and LucasArts showed off this incredible CG Jedi vs Seth trailer.
Here’s a run down of facts from the game and the newly revealed Smuggler class.
* Your experience with the game’s story will differ depending on character class and the choices you make.
* The developers seek to offer gamers “real cinematic conversation.”
* New classes shown off at E3 2009 included the Bounty Hunter and the Smuggler.
* New planets shown off at E3 included Hutta and Ord Mantell.
* The Smuggler class features a dynamic cover system while in combat (a first for MMO’s according to Senior Content Producer Dallas Dickinson).
* The Smuggler class is “meant to evoke the Han Solo fantasy”. The character is based on Han Solo, Lando Calrissian and “other great smugglers in the Star Wars universe”.
* In order to survive The Smuggler must take advantage of “quick thinking, charm, luck, and their ability to outsmart others. Instead of being a heavily armed tough guy (like the trooper), the smuggler has to be one step ahead of his opponents in combat, which is why we have implemented a “cover” system for the class. To succeed, the smuggler has to stun opponents, shoot from around corners, and, yes, shoot first.”
* Smugglers can avoid getting involved in the war longer than any other character class.
* In battle the Smuggler can find cover spots easier than others. He is also good at moving around stealthily and can use the element of surprise “to deadly effect.”
* The Smuggler is an escape artist. When the going gets rough they have the tools to get away and “reestablish more favorable terms.”
* A final thought on the Smuggler class: “From a story perspective, the smuggler is all about crazy adventures, colorful characters, whirlwind romances, and living life by the seat of your pants. For everyone who ever wanted to live the Han Solo lifestyle, this is their class.”
Story and Smuggler Class Interview
Last but not least, here is the full revealing of Star Wars: The Old Republic from the E3 2009 press conference.
Via GameSpot’s Star Wars: The Old Republic interview.
