Kotaku 
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Denver, 8:03 AM
Fri Dec 4
57 posts in the last 24 hours
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10/28/09
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10/28/09
The big thing I want to do during the event is unlock the new powerset which isn't that hard to do. #championsonline
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07/10/09
I have no doubt that the story, acting, and depth of the game universe will be top-notch, because this is BioWare and Star Wars that we're talking about.
My one concern, and the big thing I want to know about, is gameplay. Since this is an MMO, I don't want something that's all story and no action. Actually playing the game needs to be as fun as watching the story unfold. If they can nail that, then I will be there on day one, breaking the promise that I made to myself to never get sucked into another MMO.
07/10/09
I'm in a slightly different position than you- I actually am looking for another MMO. I love WoW, but I started playing because my IRL friends did... and my IRL friends are getting tired. If we find a decent alternative, they will move on, and I will follow. These days, it's the only way we get to see each other (I had to move), so having a good MMO to play together is crucial. And frankly, I'd like to have some idea if ToR plays decently before I sink the cash into a new WoW expansion, which will almost certainly be released before ToR will.
07/10/09
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07/10/09
If there is any MMO to get me back into MMOs, it's this.
07/10/09
07/10/09
Is that not five? Or is my love for Big Brother simply insufficient?
07/10/09
*disclaimer, I'm from B.C., it's my job to diss Toronto.
07/10/09
*disclaimer, I'm from Toronto so it's my job to act as if the universe revolves around me :)
And more on topic, I can hardly wait for this game to come out!
07/10/09
Do I have to be on topic too? Because I'm not allowed to play MMOs so I just feel sad.
07/10/09
I am thoroughly sick of every other company out there trying to compete on equal footing with World of Warcraft. If someone really wants to knock it off its perch (or at least rattle the nest) they're going to have to take those hard but necessary steps to start redefining the "massive" genre.
And yes, one way of doing that, is by starting to blur the line between quality we get from games, and the quality we expect from our other sources of entertainment, like movies. I am actually quite stumped it has taken this long (maybe our data formats are to blame) to realise that the next step in immersing gamers, is to do away with the in-game-novels forced down our throats, and start actually selling the story in a voice-driven, believable way.
That's one of WoW's biggest shortcomings, and people have been saying it since day 1. So all the power to BioWare for identifying what we want next; they're fast becoming my most respected developer.
07/10/09
KOTOR MMO sequel isn't going to even a main menu next.
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07/10/09
All in full voice overs, which hasn't been doen before in an MMO. I can't wait for this title, I've been lurking on their official forums for almost a year now.
07/10/09
Every time they talk about this game, it's like they're taunting the fans of the original KotOR. It really hurts. :[
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Though I do suppose these developers don't want to surrender the potential fortunes they can make off of monthly subscriptions that currently only MMO can command. But I would eagerly pay a monthly subscription for an epic single-player RPG that received constant developer support and content additions.
07/10/09
I imagine they're just holding out on the big multi-player details and have some good stuff in store.
Like, what about epic wars that involve everyone fighting to defend or assault a base or temple or something. War events could be cool, provided the servers don't explode.
07/10/09
The way the game itself is reading, it's sounding very similar to the setup Turbine hsa done with their LotRO gameplay, setting things up in a "book format" and several Single-Player instances that players would go through to immerse themselves in the storyline. It may be a taunt for KotOR players whom still want a single-player experience, but in all honesty it sounds like they could (and should) expand upon it with this.
I was going to add that if this succeeds we may see a third in the series...but if Blizzard has shown us anything, if this works they're going to devote a lot of their manpower behind it.
07/10/09
@AncientUnknown1: That's exactly what it is. They're in it for the subscription fees.
07/10/09
All-in-all, it's a fitting formula and one that works for an MMO. You simply can't recreate the same "feel" of the game by making it single player (Ask anyone who's played WoW on a private server that can do everything by themselves. It's just not the same).
07/10/09
The problem comes when playing Tortage as a different class. There is a different story for each archetype, but if I want to play a Conquerer then a Guardian its the same thing. I am sure Bioware is aware.
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07/10/09
Communites are the most important factor in MMOs. Without them, the game just doesn't work. If the game is modeled around that structure, I see no way it could be reduced to a single player experience and still be viable. Additionally, the scale of MMO worlds is something that just doesn't work in a single player game. Can you imagine multiple zones in a single player game with nothing going on in them? Every area would feel like the Forbidden Lands in SotC - both in size and solitude.
Ultimately, I guess we'll just see when the game finally releases. While I can't say I've been following details of it with a microscope, I generally try to keep tabs on MMOs that interest me; And from what I've seen, it doesn't come off as a single player game molded into an MMO for the sake of subscription fees. I get more of a WoW-esqe, "Look how casual our game is! We're not a hardcore MMO grindfest! Don't you wanna play our game!?" vibe from it.
07/10/09
And yet LucasArts wants to charge me $15 a month so I can grind to see it? Why not just offer a "solo mode" that doesn't include any community features or online stuff and just lets you play alone, with no subscription cost? Seriously, I can't be the only person who thinks this is a good idea.
07/10/09
They are emphasizing the singleplayer stuff now because most people like to play MMOs solo. There are more ways to play with other folks than raids (most people don't raid). And of course the value of these interactions is how the game will live or die. If its just good as a singleplayer RPG - even if I go through the game as a few characters, thats only a few hundred hours probably, good for several months of subs. So clearly there is more to this here.
I myself am intrigued at the idea of playing a fast, fluid MMORPG, without the cruddy BS that developers use to slow down progression and keep you subbing in other games.
07/10/09
They're just trying to get us to subscribe, and then it'll be the same as every MMO out there. Nothing will change.
07/10/09
Because they don't care. They want you're money.
Besides, no matter what they say about it, its still a MMO. The whole point should is to socialize with other people ( or at least play with them ).
07/10/09
07/10/09
I'm still incredibly bitter that they're making an MMO instead of KOTOR III, but if they added those things, I wouldn't hesitate to buy it.
07/10/09
IN FACT, I would be more likely to try out the subscription mode if there was a free mode for me to play. I've been burned too many times by subscription-based MMOs. At least having the single player game would get it into my house; then maybe I'd give it a look after beating the main story. As it stands though, they get nothing.
07/10/09
As for the emphasis on the single player stuff, they have acknowledged that that has been the focus of all the early info. They do need to shore up their base, if you will (their single player fans, &c).
But for all that, they've tried to assure all the mmo gamers that they will have raids, and auctions and all the multiplayer stuff that usually goes with an mmo.
sorry, what im trying to get at is this: i've never played an mmo, and i'm not super excited about that whole aspect. but playing through 10 kotors (probably twice) with the option to dip my toes into the mmo waters or just play with real life friends in other cities, or just shut that all out and play by my lonesome? probably worth it. unless they bone it.
07/10/09
I really don't see what the point of your whining is. It's an MMO. The game was designed as an MMO and budgeted as an MMO and it is being developed as an MMO. That's all there is to it. If you don't want to play an MMO this game won't appeal to you.
There's also nothing to be betrayed about. There's nothing to murder, there hasn't been a KOTOR in 5 years. They can do whatever they want with it.
If you enjoy the game, $15 a month to play it and get continued development is peanuts. If not... it's not for you.
07/10/09
@downlobot: I don't want to "turn off" the online stuff. I want to NOT HAVE IT AROUND AT ALL. I don't want to pay a subscription fee to solo. That's the point. I'm not going to play with other people. I see no point in paying a subscription if I'm not making use of the online features at all, but BioWare seems to think it's essential rather than just letting players have an "offline mode" that lets them play without subs. Like Phantasy Star Online does.
07/10/09
I am curious, if you don't mind, could you explain how the offline phantasy star works? How much is missing from the game? Do you still get updates/patches?
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07/10/09
Probably won't be able to skip the in-game cutscenes though...which I guarantee they'll have!
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