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robiwan
Moderator
1035 Posts |
 Posted - 10/12/2007 : 19:52:54
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SWG: Chapter 8 Preview with Lead Designer Thomas "Blixtev" Blair
By Robert "Sabrehawk" Cox
WarCry.com
Space is big. Really big. And, at least in the Star Wars: Galaxies universe, it just got a bit bigger.
Fresh on the heels of one of the largest updates since the NGE, the SWG development team is in the final testing stages on Chapter 8, which was scheduled to be added to the Test Center servers today.
"It's been a crazy, busy period," said SWG Lead Designer Thomas "Blixtev" Blair. "As one (update) is ending, we start spooling up for the next one."
In Chapter 7, SWG players were presented with a laundry list of new content, including revitalized areas, new epic quests and an entirely integrated collection system that lets players earn badges for various accomplishments from ridding Tatooine of womp rats to building a weapons collection to rival any museum. Chapter 8 is centered around the space game.
"We haven't seen any major issues with 7," Blair said, "so we've been able to concentrate more on 8."
That bit of extra attention turned out to be almost necessary. The Jump to Lightspeed expansion, which introduced the space game, was released nearly two years ago. Since that time, it's remained mostly untouched. Additionally, changes to the development team also posed problems.
"No one here really worked on space," Blair said, "so we had to go talk to the pilots. The pilot community has been great, a big help."
Of course, once the team learned what needed to be fixed and what the players would like to see, they then had to figure out how to make changes. Blair likened the update to working on a European car without any metric tools.
"On top of that, no one's tried to start the car in a couple years," Blair said. "I'd have to guess (Chapter 8) has been one of our most difficult updates. A lot of our tools didn't work."
Once the team adapted, adjusted or created new tools, the work came easier.
"We've added a bunch of things and a lot of long-standing bugs have been knocked out," Blair said.
At the top is the list is the expansion of the collections system into space, opening new avenues for players to earn badges.
"We also added a new space zone," Blair said. "Ord Mantell comes with a new, landable space station, Nova Orion, where players can land their ships and hang out. We also made it a quest hub for some very difficult, master-level quests."
Along that line, the team added a new Heroic Encounter players can access in Aurilia. Like the others, groups of players will face a series of challenges leading to a final epic battle with a powerful enemy. Unlike the others, players may have to find their own transport. This encounter takes place on an Imperial Star Destroyer.
According to Blair, while the Heroic Encounter itself is based on the ground-game, players may have to hire a pilot, or make sure their group includes one, to "smuggle" them to the Star Destroyer.
"We're hoping the way we've incentivized everything, we'll get a lot of people who haven't been up to give it a try," Blair said.
One of those incentives will be the chapter gift. While Blair declined to describe it, he did say that like Chapter 7's commlink, it will give players a reason to check out the new content.
"We think the chapter gift is pretty nice," Blair said. "It's based around the space game.
"That's something we decided to do, give players something that brings you into the new content rather than just some random item we throw in your inventory."
Aside from expanding collections, adding new territory and quests, the development team has also been enjoying themselves, experimenting with the new gunboat POB ships - one for each of the three pilot factions, Rebel Neutral and Imperial, along with a new single-seat fighter.
"We've spent a lot of time playing around in the new gunboats," Blair said. "These thing are huge. My favorite is the neutral one, by far."
Being gunboats, the new ships have more weapon stations, prompting the team to take a closer look at turret controls.
"We've adjusted the gimballing in the turrets, making them easier to use," Blair said. "Fighting in a turret is a much more pleasurable experience."
And these ships won't have the troublesome blind spots that are the bane of their NPC brethren.
"That's one of the major failings of the AI," Blair said. "You can get in a blind spot and stay there. You can't do that with these."
Players can log into the Test Center servers and check things out for themselves. Just remember to check the hyperdrive. It's a long walk back.
ISD Heroic Encounter - Exterior
ISD Heroic Encounter - Interior
New Gunboats
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I have waited and planned and built my strength for fifteen thousand years. I have evolved. It is time.
(Omnius Evermind)
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Feyd'Rautha Saresh (Medic, Rebel Alliance, Europe-Chimaera), Robe Saresh (Force Sensitive, Rebel Alliance, Europe-Chimaera)
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Dromedarr
Junior Member
629 Posts |
Posted - 10/12/2007 : 20:15:17
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hmmm, zajimavy : ISD sem teda necekal, to chci videt, jestli tam jako impove budem kosit impy nebo co?  |
SWG, Europe-Farstar - Drom, Losos, Efiss, Casia' - R.I.P. SWG |
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robiwan
Moderator
1035 Posts |
Posted - 10/12/2007 : 20:24:34
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quote:
Originally posted by Dromedarr
hmmm, zajimavy : ISD sem teda necekal, to chci videt, jestli tam jako impove budem kosit impy nebo co?
no pre krvilacnych Impikov to bude asi vzbureny ISD...budete kosit zradcov :D |
I have waited and planned and built my strength for fifteen thousand years. I have evolved. It is time.
(Omnius Evermind)
---------------------------
Feyd'Rautha Saresh (Medic, Rebel Alliance, Europe-Chimaera), Robe Saresh (Force Sensitive, Rebel Alliance, Europe-Chimaera)
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Shamirr
New Member
135 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2007 : 09:04:25
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Takže H.E. je také ako som sa obával. Pilot ma nulový dôvod sa zúčastniť, aj to sotva...
Kolekcie sú kvôli titulom, to si môžu nechať od cesty.
Ostáva teda jedna loď a master level questy. Budiž, čo iné sa dalo čakať od kapitoly zbastlenej za jeden mesiac  . |
Nekropolis:
SWG: Shamirr Norrag (*10.6.2005 +9.7.2008) - Imperial Commando, Imperial Ace Pilot; Xandara Norrag (*11.8.2006 +9.7.2008) - Trader, Freelancer Pilot |
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Dromedarr
Junior Member
629 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2007 : 09:13:27
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quote:
Originally posted by Shamirr
Takže H.E. je také ako som sa obával. Pilot ma nulový dôvod sa zúčastniť, aj to sotva...
Kolekcie sú kvôli titulom, to si môžu nechať od cesty.
Ostáva teda jedna loď a master level questy. Budiž, čo iné sa dalo čakať od kapitoly zbastlenej za jeden mesiac .
a co te nebavi na pozemnich instancich?  me to prijde hodne zabavny :) |
SWG, Europe-Farstar - Drom, Losos, Efiss, Casia' - R.I.P. SWG |
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Shamirr
New Member
135 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2007 : 10:10:52
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quote:
Originally posted by Dromedarr
a co te nebavi na pozemnich instancich? me to prijde hodne zabavny :)
1) Boli navrhnuté tak aby hráči mali "chalenge", to je pochopiteľné. Ale tým pádom to nie je pre "náhodné" skupiny - tak ako boli kedysi HK, alebo DF - stretne sa pár hráčov a šlo sa, bola sranda, niečo sa lootlo a tak. Teraz je to presne naplánované, ten musí stáť tu, henten tam. V piatej milisekunde druhého polčasu treba urobiť toto, lebo inak je to v...
2) Nedá sa tam získať nič užitočné. Teda...ten Tusken batoh by bol fajn, lebo je na 60 itemov, ale vyzerá...to už som komentoval. |
Nekropolis:
SWG: Shamirr Norrag (*10.6.2005 +9.7.2008) - Imperial Commando, Imperial Ace Pilot; Xandara Norrag (*11.8.2006 +9.7.2008) - Trader, Freelancer Pilot |
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Dromedarr
Junior Member
629 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2007 : 12:28:03
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| no nevim.. my chodime prakticky v nahodnych grupach.. sehranejsi to maji samozrejme rychleji a bez smrti, ale to bylo i treba na HK :) jinak zas tak presne se to delat nemusi.. staci par zakladnich informaci o kazde instanci a pak uz jen zabava :) jinak batoh je na 65 mist a ma super staty :) mec pro jedi trosky je taky pouzitelny, to samy tusken puska pro BH nebo tusken tycka pro officera. Pak prsteny, hlava IG, baret NS, sety, obrazy a buffy z aurillie a 3 skilly... |
SWG, Europe-Farstar - Drom, Losos, Efiss, Casia' - R.I.P. SWG |
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Dromedarr
Junior Member
629 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2007 : 12:29:41
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| ted momentalne me ale zajima, jetli ta nova H.E. bude frakcni nebo ne :/ |
SWG, Europe-Farstar - Drom, Losos, Efiss, Casia' - R.I.P. SWG |
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Shamirr
New Member
135 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2007 : 15:53:37
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quote:
Originally posted by Dromedarr
batoh je na 65 mist a ma super staty :) mec pro jedi trosky je taky pouzitelny, to samy tusken puska pro BH nebo tusken tycka pro officera. Pak prsteny, hlava IG, baret NS, sety, obrazy a buffy z aurillie a 3 skilly...
No hej, len drvivá väčšina z toho je vo vesmíre zbytočná. Pozemné boje ma bavili, len keď sa tam dalo získať niečo do space - JSF, StarMap, Avatar, plus nejaké veci na kraftenie pre Xan. Alebo aspoň zaujamvé dekorácie do domčeka. Jedine preto aj grindím kolekcie - akvarko a dejarik.
Inak, či to bude frakčná inštancia, som zvedavý aj ja. Ak to bude o likvidovaní nejakých zradcov (teda pôjde sa proti stormtrooperom), tak ma nas..ú s konečnou platnosťou. |
Nekropolis:
SWG: Shamirr Norrag (*10.6.2005 +9.7.2008) - Imperial Commando, Imperial Ace Pilot; Xandara Norrag (*11.8.2006 +9.7.2008) - Trader, Freelancer Pilot |
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WanargiMort
Junior Member
831 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2007 : 22:36:54
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quote:
Originally posted by Shamirr
Inak, či to bude frakčná inštancia, som zvedavý aj ja. Ak to bude o likvidovaní nejakých zradcov (teda pôjde sa proti stormtrooperom), tak ma nas..ú s konečnou platnosťou.
Jsi ted nasrany s konecnou platnosti, kdyz SOE vyplodilo instanci s Rogue Star Destroyerem? |
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robiwan
Moderator
1035 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2007 : 01:10:05
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| tak ta nova vesmirna stanica vyzera zvonku ako kazda ina stanica v SWG a z vnutra ako Tansarii Point |
I have waited and planned and built my strength for fifteen thousand years. I have evolved. It is time.
(Omnius Evermind)
---------------------------
Feyd'Rautha Saresh (Medic, Rebel Alliance, Europe-Chimaera), Robe Saresh (Force Sensitive, Rebel Alliance, Europe-Chimaera)
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Almych
Average Member
1691 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2007 : 08:21:53
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quote:
Originally posted by robiwan
tak ta nova vesmirna stanica vyzera zvonku ako kazda ina stanica v SWG a z vnutra ako Tansarii Point
Takze jestli jsem to dobre pochopil, tak je to v podstate jen NPC mesto ve vesmiru? |
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robiwan
Moderator
1035 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2007 : 08:50:53
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quote:
Originally posted by Almych
quote:
Originally posted by robiwan
tak ta nova vesmirna stanica vyzera zvonku ako kazda ina stanica v SWG a z vnutra ako Tansarii Point
Takze jestli jsem to dobre pochopil, tak je to v podstate jen NPC mesto ve vesmiru?
presne tak...ale mestom by som to nenazyval...je to len sterilizovana Tansarii Point s asi 15imi bielymi NPC...este aj rastliny v hornom skleniku vysekali (:
EDIT: inak hore mate sticky kompletne patch notes pre C8 |
I have waited and planned and built my strength for fifteen thousand years. I have evolved. It is time.
(Omnius Evermind)
---------------------------
Feyd'Rautha Saresh (Medic, Rebel Alliance, Europe-Chimaera), Robe Saresh (Force Sensitive, Rebel Alliance, Europe-Chimaera)
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Edited by - robiwan on 12/12/2007 08:52:13 |
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