Now that the massive 1.2 update for Star Wars: The Old Republic is behind us, it's time for BioWare to start winning back those 400,000 lost subscribers with some oft-requested features.
Soon finding a group won't be such a massive pain in the ass. The current looking for group system in BioWare's massively multiplayer online Star Wars game involves people essentially standing on the corner and shouting until someone takes pity on them. There's a rudimentary 'LFG' option that allows players to set their status as such, but it's pretty much useless.
Update 1.3, also known as "Allies", fixes this by giving players a tool that allows them to define their party role and select the area they wish to party in, automatically matching them up with like-minded individuals with the required skill sets. Seeing as I skipped over several Flashpoint missions because I couldn't be bothered to find a group (not a big yeller), I might need to drop into the game and get my group on once this drops.
Another handy feature coming in 1.3 is the ability to transfer servers, allowing players that wound up on the wrong end of the galaxy a chance to warp to where their friends are. It should also make server merges easier to facilitate, in case that needs to happen.
IGN has a full interview with BioWare lead game designer Daniel Erickson covering the various bells and whistles hitting in 1.3, which you'll find via the link below.